Civil Forfeiture Unit

Civil Forfeiture Unit

The Department of Justice is using a civil forfeiture law to make sure that crime doesn't pay.

The province has set up a civil forfeiture unit, which receives cases referred from law enforcement agencies where there is evidence of wrong-doing but criminal charges are not laid, such as bootlegging or selling stolen property.

The unit seeks civil court approval to have the property or cash from the wrong-doing turned over to the province.

In cases where charges are laid, and property is not seized by an enforcement agency or forfeited by the criminal court, the unit can seize the property and ask civil court for it to be turned over.

Revenues from the program will provide financial support for crime prevention and victim services programs, and also fund the civil forfeiture unit.

The information on this webpage will be updated as needed to keep Nova Scotians informed about how the civil forfeiture unit is doing.