Millions of pounds seized from criminals across region in a year as fraud recoveries surge
Police in Staffordshire and the West Midlands seized around £6.7 million in assets and money from criminals in the year to March, new figures show.
Police forces can recover the proceeds of crime through confiscation and forfeiture orders, which require those found guilty to pay a fine, or give the police the power to seize assets from them.
These proceeds are then used to tackle crime, or are returned to victims.
Home Office figures show around £4.7 million was seized by West Midlands Police last year in the year to March – a rise from £3.4 million in 2021-22.
And around £2 million was seized by Staffordshire Police in the same timeframe, which had risen from £990,000 in 2021-22.
