History

The Agency was set up under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) and plays a vital part in the Government’s plans to take the profit out of crime, and dismantle and disrupt the organised crime empires by removing the money that is their motivation and their major source of income.

POCA strengthens the legislation around cash seizures, money laundering, investigation powers and restraint and confiscation procedures.

The Agency is using POCA to put an end to the ’champagne lifestyles’ that many criminals have been enjoying.

POCA brings together previous legislation, such as the Drug Trafficking Act 1994 and Part VI of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, with the changes recommended in a comprehensive report of a study conducted by the Performance and Innovation Unit of the Cabinet Office in 2000.