PHILLIPS

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2006, which gives legislative power to the State to forfeit property and confiscate proceeds obtained through drug trafficking and money laundering, is set for passage in both Houses of Parliament in early 2007.

Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister of National Security and chairman of the joint select committee of Parliament, which examined the legislation, said a report from the committee would be tabled in Parliament next week and placed on the agenda for debate in January 2007.

In his closing remarks yesterday at the end of the committee's deliberations on the Proceeds of Crime Act 2006, Dr. Phillips said he hoped the act would not, only become law in the new year, but that it would be administered to the benefit of Jamaicans "and will strike a solid blow against crime and criminality".

After one year of deliberations, the committee, which first met on November 23, 2005, made 27 significant amendments to the bill.

The Proceeds of Crime Act seeks to address certain limitations in the Drug Offences (Forfeiture of Proceeds) Act. Under this law the State could not authorise the confiscation of assets and properties from persons who obtained wealth from a criminal lifestyle, except those persons were held criminally liable for offences linked to the acquisition of the assets.

Unlike the Drug Offences (Forfeiture of Proceeds) Act, the Proceeds of Crime legislation deals with ongoing organised crime and gives the State authority to divest profits acquired through criminal activities.