FEDERAL FORFEITURE FUNDS ON WAY TO KAUA'I

The U.S. Department of Justice's Asset Forfeiture Program will give a check
to the Kaua'i Prosecutors' Office and Police Departments, it was announced
Friday.

Edward H. Kubo, Jr., United States Attorney for the District of Hawai'i, and
Briane M. Grey, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement
Administration, announced that a total of $421,124.83 will be distributed to
county, state and federal agencies.

The Honolulu, Hawai'i County and Maui Police Departments, Maui Prosecutors
Office, Hawai'i National Guard, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms,
Immigration and Customs enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, and
Department of Public Safety also will receive asset forfeiture checks.

Federal law states that profits from drug-related crimes as well as property
used to facilitate certain crimes, can be seized by the government.

"Domestic and international drug traffickers use their wealth to purchase
the very best state-of-the-art weaponry and communications equipment.
Seizure of the drug profits prevents them from possessing such advanced
equipment and makes it more difficult for them to thwart law enforcement
effort," read a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

After the profits of crime (are) taken away from criminals, the Asset
Forfeiture Fund is used to help crime victims and to fund law enforcement
programs that further combat crime, the statement continued.

The announcement was made during the semi-annual Law Enforcement Coalition
of Hawai'i meeting held in Honolulu.