VILLAINS' HOARDS PROMPT SEIZURE LAW

Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, has been warned by police and customs
chiefs that 39 British criminal "Mr Bigs" have together amassed
pounds 220m in illicitly obtained wealth.

The so-called "Premier League" organised crime lords are all
unconvicted and enjoying luxurious lifestyles paid for by the proceeds
of their illegal activities.

The criminal millionaires are at the top of a list of 400 major
villains, compiled by the National Criminal Intelligence Service and
Customs and Excise, which have each generated more than pounds 100,000
from crime. The 400 have an estimated combined wealth of pounds 440m. The
figures will be used by Mr Straw today to justify plans to change the
law to enable greater confiscation of the illegally gained assets of
major criminals.

The Home Secretary will publish a report recommending that the
standard of proof required for asset confiscation will be lowered, so
that wealth can be seized if "on the balance of probabilities" it was
generated by crime.

The present requirement for police to prove "beyond all reasonable
doubt" that goods are illicitly obtained has led to disappointing
results in the seizure of criminal assets.

The report, by the Performance Innovation Unit at the Cabinet Office,
shows that court confiscation orders have only been raised in 20 per
cent of drugs cases and 0.3 per cent of other criminal cases.