Released on March 29, 2022
The Government of Saskatchewan is investing $1.66 million into the Civil Forfeiture Program to support the fight against money laundering in Saskatchewan.
The funding will enhance the program's ability to investigate and pursue proceeds of crime through the addition of four dedicated investigators, three legal counsel and a criminal analyst. As part of these changes, the program will also be moved from the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety to the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.
"Recent changes to the Act arm us with the necessary legal tools to improve the way we combat money laundering in Saskatchewan," Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant said. "We look forward to continuing the excellent work of this program as it moves from the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety under the umbrella of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General."
"Crime does not pay in Saskatchewan," Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Christine Tell said. "That's the message we want to send as we work to seize ill-gotten gains from criminals and reinvest them into our police services and community partners."
Saskatchewan's Civil Forfeiture Program, through The Seizure of Criminal Property Act, 2009, seeks the forfeiture of property tainted by unlawful activity. Illicit property is forfeited to the Province through administrative and court processes, liquidated and then deposited in the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund.
Since inception, over $6.3 million from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund has been distributed to police operations, the Victims' Fund and community programming.
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For more information, contact:
Ariane Whiting
Justice and Attorney General
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8621
Email: ariane.whiting@gov.sk.ca