NEWS RELEASE

NUISANCE DRUG
HOUSE SEIZED

VANCOUVER – The provinces
innovative civil forfeiture act has been used to restore peace and safety to a
Vancouver neighbourhood by seizing a known drug, weapons and prostitution den
while associated criminal charges are dealt with in court, Solicitor General
Kash Heed and Vancouver Police Department chief Jim Chu said today.

Police were called to this house more than 500 times and residents in
the area felt fearful and harassed their safety jeopardized by illegal
activities at the property, said Heed. Through civil forfeiture, we can take
action in these kinds of situations to restore order to the community without
having to wait for the outcome of a criminal proceeding.

The Province’s civil forfeiture laws have enabled us to partner with
government and deal with problems that compromised the safety and security of
the neighbourhood, said Chu. It is a proactive way to make sure that
criminals lose and the neighbourhood wins.

Last April, VPD referred the file to the Civil Forfeiture Office. In
May, the director initiated a civil forfeiture action in BC Supreme Court
claiming that the property had been operated and possessed as an instrument of
unlawful activity. This included being used for the sale of controlled
substances contrary to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and as a common bawdy
house, contrary to the Criminal Code. The director claimed forfeiture of
the property in accordance with the Civil Forfeiture Act.

On Nov. 24, 2009 the director secured forfeiture of the property. It
will now be sold for an as yet undetermined price, with proceeds of the sale
being paid to the Provinces civil forfeiture special account. The house is the
25th property forfeited to date.

In the three years since B.C. the Civil Forfeiture Act was passed, $7.5
million in illicit assets including vehicles, cash and real estate have
been forfeited to the Province. Under the act, proceeds will go into a special
account that is used to support the program and grants to victims and community
crime prevention efforts. Most recently, $40,000 in civil forfeiture funds were
provided to the Vancouver Police Departments ConAir program.

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