THE GOVERNMENT of Jamaica on Wednesday handed over to the Canadian Government, 50 per cent of funds forfeited from convicted Jamaican drug trafficker, Edward Robinson.
The handing over of $127,000 took place at the offices of the Ministry of National Security and Justice, 2 Oxford Road, Kingston.
In July 1999, the Jamaican Supreme Court, acting on an application from the Supreme Court of Ontario, Canada, forfeited two local accounts belonging to Robinson.
These accounts were deemed to contain the proceeds of crimes, including possession of, selling and dealing in ganja, committed by Robinson in Canada, and for which he was convicted in that country.
The decision to share the forfeited sum is in keeping with an Asset Sharing Agreement signed between Jamaica and Canada in 1999.
Agreements of this nature are encouraged by the 1998 United Nations Convention Against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, which, in itself, requires signature states to confiscate the assets of convicted drug traffickers. This is the first sharing of asset between Jamaica and Canada since the agreement was signed.
Cash forfeited from Robinson in Canada as well as the cash surrender value of several life insurance policies and a fine in lieu of forfeiture, are to be shared with Jamaica as soon as the net amount has been determined, the Ministry of National Security states.
