The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) took over €16 million from criminals and froze property worth €7.3 million last year, a report revealed today.
Since its creation in 1996 up to last year, CAB obtained interim and final restraint orders to stop criminals disposing of property worth over €83 million, and it collected almost €89 million in taxes and interest.
CAB detectives have also worked on a number of international joint investigations to identify the assets of people involved in criminality across a number of states.
The annual report of the crime-tackling unit revealed over €16 million was collected in unpaid taxes and interest last year. Interim orders worth over €6 million were made to stop criminals from dispensing of assets, and final restraint orders freezing property amounting to €1.3 million.
Around €216,000 was made in social welfare savings, and over €294,000 was recovered from people defrauding the system. CAB forwarded over €18.5 million into State coffers last year.
Five houses and seven cars were sold in CAB receivership sales under court order.
The houses included the substantial Dublin property, formerly in the possession of the late Martin Cahill, and a property in Limerick taken from a figure engaged in criminal activity.
PA