Essex cops get lowest share of criminals' cash pot

11:00am Tuesday 24th June 2008

POLICE in Essex have received the lowest share in the country of cash seized from criminals.

Forces across the UK have shared a pot of £18million of assets taken from crooks between January and March this year.

But Essex is to receive just £3,242 from the Home Office - the lowest out of 43 constabularies to be given money.

The Metropolitan Police received the highest amount of just over £1.6million with Merseyside Police getting £432,000.

The cash is seized by police, under the Proceeds of Crime Act, from drug dealers and robbers who have earned it from their crimes.

Essex Police said it had a number of criminal asset cases still outstanding.

Nishan Wijeratne of Essex Police said: "The previous fiscal year was disappointing by our own usual high standards.

"We have a number of cases in the criminal justice system which were not progressed and concluded before the end of March for a variety of reasons, but which will do so during this year."