Cops to seize drug house

NT Police yesterday placed a restraining order on a comfortable suburban townhouse under the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act.

Two vehicles and $90,000 cash belonging to the owners of 3/4 Winston St, Stuart Park, in Darwin, are also the subject of a restraining order after police allegedly found more than 12kg of cannabis hidden inside last month.

William John McGregor, 60, and Maria Laidat-McGregor, 36, are charged with possessing a commercial quantity of cannabis, supplying a traffickable quantity of cannabis and possessing the cash and proceeds of crime.

Both were remanded in custody and are due to appear at Darwin Magistrates Court for a hand-up committal on July 5.

The two-bedroom townhouse is believed to be valued at $200,000.

A court will decide whether the townhouse, vehicles and cash are the proceeds of crime when the criminal case has been finalised.

If proven to be the proceeds of crime, the townhouse and vehicles will be sold and along with the $90,000 cash deposited as general revenue by the NT Government.

In the past 11 months, property worth $376,000 has been forfeited to the Government under the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act.

Property valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars is under a restraining order.

Superintendent Kris Evans said the aim of the Act was to ensure drug traffickers did not enjoy the proceeds of their crimes after serving their custodial sentence.

``A person who is dealing in drugs might get a six-month custodial sentence and then get out and they're free to spend the proceeds of their crime,'' he said.

``If police can prove their property was used or was purchased with money derived from their illegal activities they won't be able to do that.''

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Fri, 03 June 2005
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Author: Greg McLean
Copyright: 2005 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/283