DEC recovers K1.3m through forfeitures

By NATION REPORTER

THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit (AMLIU) has recovered K1.3 million and US$148,743 through forfeitures last year.

According to a statement by DEC public relations officer Hussein Khan, DEC in 2022 investigated 1,093 cases countrywide out of which 66 were closed by arrests, 49 were closed by other headings and 17 were referred to other law enforcement agencies for further investigations.

Mr Khan said DEC seized various properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime which included 108 motor vehicles,72 real estate properties, froze 41 bank accounts held at various commercial banks with a total bank balance of K174 million and US$19.7 million.

Mr Khan said three Toyota Land cruisers and some earth-moving equipment namely EP263 Rubber Pneumatic Tyre Roller, Ingersoll Drum Compactor and a JCB Excavator, were also seized and forfeiture proceedings have commenced.

He said the unit has since submitted the dockets to the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) in cases where investigations have been concluded for the Authority to commence non conviction based forfeiture proceedings of the said properties.

Mr Khan also disclosed that 66 cases were closed by arrest in which 113 people were arrested for various predicate offences and money laundering.

He said some of the dockets have been processed and the suspects were appearing before the Courts of Law while others were still being considered for possible prosecution by the NPA.

Mr Khan said the total amounts involved in cases where arrests have been made were K 347.9 million.

He said the unit also investigated and concluded a total of 49 cases under various headings after investigations revealed that there was no money laundering offence committed.

Mr Khan said 17 cases were referred to other law enforcement sgencies for investigations, as at December 31, 2022 the unit had 961 active cases.

He also said 19 cases were concluded at the courts of which convictions were secured 16 cases, one was discontinued and acquittals were recorded in two cases.