Today the Home Office published the third annual set of statistics on the recovery of criminal assets using Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 powers.
The total proceeds of crime collected in the 2018/19 financial year was just under £217 million, representing a 21% increase compared with 2013/14 (£179 million).
This is a significant rise on last year’s figure of £178 million and close to the record total of £219 million confiscated in 2015/16.
The figures also show that £51 million was forfeited in civil proceedings, and £166 million confiscated following criminal convictions.
A total of £36 million was paid back to victims in compensation.
Security Minister Brandon Lewis said:
The Government and law enforcement partners are committed to stripping criminals of their dirty cash and assets. They must not be allowed to enjoy the profits from their offending at the expense of law-abiding citizens.
Since 2013, more than a billion pounds has been taken out of the hands of criminals using the Proceeds of Crime Act and this year’s figures show the highest-ever recorded figure for dirty cash forfeited in civil proceedings.
Our Asset Recovery Action Plan clearly sets out our ambition to improve these figures further, hitting criminals where it hurts.