1
Short title
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002.
2
Commencement
2 Commencement
The provisions of this Act come into operation on the date fixed by
the Administrator by notice in the Gazette.
3
Objective
3 Objective
The objective of this Act is to target the proceeds of crime in
general and drug-related crime in particular in order to prevent the
unjust enrichment of persons involved in criminal activities.
4
Act binds Crown
4 Act binds Crown
(1) This Act binds the Crown in right of the Territory and, so far as the
legislative power of the Legislative Assembly permits, the Crown in
all its other capacities.
(2) This Act does not render the Territory, the Commonwealth, a State
or another Territory liable to prosecution for an offence.
5
Definitions
5 Definitions
In this Act:
account means any facility or arrangement through which a
financial institution accepts deposits or allows withdrawals and
includes a facility or arrangement for a fixed term deposit and a
safety deposit box.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 2
agreement means a tenancy, lease, hire agreement or contract.
conviction, in relation to a forfeiture offence, has the meaning in
section 161.
corporation means any body corporate, however formed, and
includes:
(a) a financial institution; and
(b) a corporation as defined in section 57A of the Corporations
Act 2001; and
(c) a corporation sole.
corresponding law:
(a) for Part 10A – see section 130A; or
(b) otherwise – means a law of the Commonwealth, a State or
another Territory that is prescribed by regulation as a law that
corresponds to this Act.
crime-derived, in relation to property, see section 12.
crime-used, in relation to property, see section 11.
crime-used property substitution declaration means a
declaration under section 81.
criminal benefit, see section 74.
criminal benefit declaration means a declaration under section 75
or 76.
criminal use, in relation to a person and property, see section 84.
dangerous drug, see section 3(1) of the Misuse of Drugs
Act 1990.
deal, in relation to property, see section 56.
declared drug trafficker, see section 8.
dispose of, in relation to a charge, means:
(a) withdraw; or
(b) file a no true bill; or
(c) dismiss; or
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 3
(d) file a nolle prosequi in relation to the offence.
DPP means the Director of Public Prosecutions appointed under
the Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1990 or a person acting on
the Director's behalf.
effective control, in relation to property, has the meaning in
section 7.
encumbrance, in relation to property, includes any interest,
mortgage, charge, right, claim or demand in respect of the property.
examination means an examination under an examination order.
examination order means an order under section 18(1).
financial institution means:
(a) an ADI; or
(b) the Reserve Bank of Australia; or
(c) a person who carries on State banking within the meaning of
section 51(xiii) of the Constitution of the Commonwealth; or
(e) a financial corporation within the meaning of section 51(xx) of
the Constitution of the Commonwealth; or
(f) a body corporate that would be a financial corporation within
the meaning of section 51(xx) of the Constitution of the
Commonwealth if the body had been incorporated in Australia.
Fines Recovery Unit means the Fines Recovery Unit established
under the Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001.
forfeitable property declaration means a declaration under
section 92.
forfeiture offence, see section 6.
give, in relation to property, includes transfer for consideration that
is significantly less than the market value of the property at the time
of transfer.
innocent party, see section 66.
instrument, in relation to a dealing with land, see section 4 of the
Land Title Act 2000.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 4
interest, in relation to property, means:
(a) a legal or equitable estate or interest in the property; or
(b) a right, power or privilege over or in connection with the
interstate forfeiture order means an order (however described)
that is made by or under a corresponding law of a State or another
Territory and that is prescribed by the Regulations for this definition.
interstate restraining order means an order (however described)
that is made by or under a corresponding law of a State or another
Territory and that is prescribed by the Regulations for this definition.
land includes an interest in land.
land register, see section 4 of the Land Title Act 2000.
lawfully acquired, in relation to any property, service, advantage
or benefit, see section 77.
liable to forfeiture under this Act, in relation to property, see
section 10(5).
monitoring order means an order under section 29(1).
objection means an objection to the restraint of property filed
under section 59.
officer, in relation to a corporation, means a director, secretary,
executive officer, employee or agent of the corporation.
owner, in relation to property, means a person who has a legal or
equitable interest in the property.
premises includes a vessel, aircraft, vehicle, structure, building and
any land or place whether built on or not.
production order means an order under section 23.
prohibited plant see section 3(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990.
property means:
(a) real or personal property of any description, wherever situated
and whether tangible or intangible; or
(b) a legal or equitable interest in any property mentioned in
paragraph (a).
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 5
property-tracking document, see section 27.
registered, in relation to an interstate restraining order or an
interstate forfeiture order, means registered under section 123
or 127, respectively.
registrar means the office (however described) of a registrar under
an Act that provides for registration of property other than land.
registration, in relation to an instrument relating to a dealing in
land, has the same meaning as in the Land Title Act 2000.
respondent means:
(a) in relation to an application for an unexplained wealth
declaration, a criminal benefit declaration or a crime-used
property substitution declaration – the person against whom
the declaration is sought; or
(b) in relation to an unexplained wealth declaration, a criminal
benefit declaration or a crime-used property substitution
declaration – the person against whom the declaration is
made.
restraining order means an order made by a court under
section 43 or 44 but does not include an interim restraining order
under section 40.
statutory charge, see section 4 of the Land Title Act 2000.
statutory restrictions notice, see section 35 of the Land Title
Act 2000.
suspension order means an order under section 29(2).
Territory taxes, in relation to restrained property, means any rates,
land tax, local government or other statutory charges imposed on
the property under a law of the Territory.
transaction, in relation to an account with a financial institution,
includes:
(a) the making of a fixed term deposit; and
(b) the transferring of the amount of a fixed term deposit, or any
part of it, at the end of the term.
unexplained wealth:
(a) for Part 10A – see section 130A; or
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 6
(b) otherwise – see section 68.
unexplained wealth declaration means a declaration under
section 71.
valuable consideration, in relation to the transfer of property, does
not include:
(a) any consideration for the transfer arising from the fact of a
family relationship between the transferor and transferee; or
(b) if the transferor is a spouse or de facto partner of the
transferee – the making by the transferor of a deed in favour
of the transferee; or
(c) a promise by the transferee to become a spouse or de facto
partner of the transferor; or
(d) any consideration arising from the transferor's love or affection
for the transferee; or
(e) the transfer of the property as a result of the distribution of a
deceased estate; or
(f) the transfer of the property by way of gift.
wealth, see section 70.
Note for section 5
The Interpretation Act 1978 contains definitions and other provisions that may be
relevant to this Act.
6
Forfeiture offence
6 Forfeiture offence
For this Act, a forfeiture offence is:
(a) an offence against a law in force anywhere in Australia that is
punishable by imprisonment for 2 years or more; or
(b) any other offence that is prescribed for this section.
7
Effective control of property
7 Effective control of property
(1) For this Act, a person has effective control of property if, although
the person does not have the legal estate in the property, the
property is directly or indirectly subject to the control of the person
or is held for the ultimate benefit of the person.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 7
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), when determining whether a person
has effective control of any property, the following matters may be
taken into account:
(a) any shareholdings in, debentures over or directorships of any
corporation that has a direct or indirect interest in the property;
(b) any trust that has a relationship to the property;
(c) family, domestic and business relationships between persons
having an interest:
(i) in the property; or
(ii) in a corporation that has a direct or indirect interest in
the property; or
(iii) in a trust that has a relationship to the property;
(d) any other relevant matters.
8
Declared drug trafficker
8 Declared drug trafficker
(1) In this Act:
declared drug trafficker means:
(a) a person who is declared to be a drug trafficker under
section 36A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990; or
(b) a person who is taken to be a declared drug trafficker under
subsection (2) or (3).
(2) A person is taken to be a declared drug trafficker for this Act if:
(a) the person is charged with an offence specified in
section 36A(6) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990; and
(b) the person could be declared to be a drug trafficker under
section 36A of that Act if he or she is convicted of the offence;
and
(c) before the charge is disposed of or finally determined, the
person absconds in connection with the offence.
(3) A person is taken to be a declared drug trafficker for this Act if a
declaration is made under section 9 in respect of the person.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 8
9
Court may declare deceased person to be drug trafficker
9 Court may declare deceased person to be drug trafficker
(1) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for a declaration under
this section that a deceased person is taken to be a declared drug
trafficker for this Act.
(2) An application under subsection (1) can only be made if:
(a) a person had been charged with an offence specified in
section 36A(6) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990; and
(b) the person could have been declared to be a drug trafficker
under section 36A of that Act if he or she was convicted of the
offence; and
(c) before the charge was disposed of or finally determined, the
person died.
(3) On hearing an application under subsection (1), if the court is
satisfied that it is more likely than not that the deceased person,
had he or she not died, would have been declared under
section 36A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990 to be a drug trafficker,
the court must make a declaration to that effect.
10
Application
10 Application
(1) This Act applies:
(a) to property:
(i) owned or effectively controlled; or
(ii) previously owned;
by persons who are involved in or taken to be involved in
criminal activities; and
(b) to property that is crime-used; and
(c) to property that is crime-derived.
(2) The property (real or personal) of a person who is involved or taken
to be involved in criminal activities is forfeit to the Territory to the
extent provided in this Act to compensate the Territory community
for the costs of deterring, detecting and dealing with the criminal
activities.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 9
(3) Crime-used or crime-derived property (real or personal) is forfeit to
the Territory to deter criminal activity and prevent the unjust
enrichment of persons involved in criminal activities.
(4) For this Act, a person is taken to be involved in criminal activities if:
(a) the person is declared under section 36A of the Misuse of
Drugs Act 1990 to be a drug trafficker; or
(b) an unexplained wealth declaration or a criminal benefit
declaration is made in relation to the person; or
(c) the person is found guilty of a forfeiture offence.
(5) Property is liable to forfeiture under this Act:
(a) if the property is:
(i) owned or effectively controlled, or has at any time been
given away, by a declared drug trafficker; or
(ii) owned or effectively controlled, or has at any time been
given away, by a person who has unexplained wealth; or
(iii) owned or effectively controlled, or has at any time been
given away, by a person who has acquired a criminal
benefit; or
(iv) crime-used property; or
(v) crime-derived property; and
(b) whether the relevant forfeiture offence was committed:
(i) in the Territory or elsewhere; and
(ii) before or after the commencement of this Act; and
(c) whether or not any person has been charged with, or found
guilty of, the relevant forfeiture offence and, if a person has
been found guilty of the offence, whether the finding of guilt
was before or after the commencement of this Act; and
(d) whether the property is in the Territory or outside the Territory.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 10
11
Crime-used property
11 Crime-used property
(1) For this Act, property is crime-used if:
(a) the property is or was used, or intended for use, directly or
indirectly, in or in connection with the commission of a
forfeiture offence or in or in connection with facilitating the
commission of a forfeiture offence; or
(b) the property is or was used for storing property that was
acquired unlawfully in the course of the commission of a
forfeiture offence; or
(c) an act or omission was done, omitted to be done or facilitated
in or on the property in connection with the commission of a
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), property described in that
subsection is crime-used whether or not:
(a) the property is also used, or intended or able to be used, for
another purpose; or
(b) any person who used or intended to use the property as
mentioned in subsection (1) has been identified; or
(c) any person who did or omitted to do anything that constitutes
all or part of the relevant forfeiture offence has been identified;
or
(d) any person has been charged with or convicted of the relevant
12
Crime-derived property
12 Crime-derived property
(1) Property that is wholly or partly derived or realised, directly or
indirectly, from the commission of a forfeiture offence is crime-
derived, whether or not:
(a) any person has been charged with or convicted of the offence;
or
(b) any person who directly or indirectly derived or realised the
property from the commission of the offence has been
identified; or
(c) any person who directly or indirectly derived or realised the
property from the commission of the offence was involved in
the commission of the offence.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 11
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), property of the following kinds is
crime-derived:
(a) stolen property;
(b) property acquired by legitimate means that could not have
been acquired if crime-derived property had not been used for
other purposes;
(c) any thing of monetary value acquired, in Australia or
elsewhere, from the commercial exploitation of any product, or
of any broadcast, telecast or other publication, where the
commercial value of the product, broadcast, telecast or other
publication depends on or is derived from a person's
involvement in the commission of a forfeiture offence, whether
or not the thing was lawfully acquired and whether or not any
person has been charged with or convicted of the offence.
(3) Property is also crime-derived if it is bought with or exchanged for,
wholly or partly, crime-derived property (including property that
acquired the status of crime-derived property because of a previous
operation or previous operations of this subsection).
(4) Once property becomes crime-derived property it remains crime-
derived property even if it is disposed of, used to acquire other
property or otherwise dealt with, unless it ceases under
subsection (8) to be crime-derived property.
(5) Property owned by 2 or more people, whether jointly or as tenants
in common, is crime-derived if any part of the share of any of the
owners is crime-derived, whether or not any of the owners is an
innocent party in relation to the share or part-share that is crime-
derived.
(6) If:
(a) a person owns crime-derived property but is divested of the
property in such a way that it ceases under subsection (8) to
be crime-derived property; and
(b) the person acquires the property again;
the property becomes crime-derived property again.
(7) For deciding whether property is crime-derived, the proceeds of a
sale or other dealing do not lose their identity as those proceeds
only as a result of being credited to an account.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 12
(8) Crime-derived property ceases to be crime-derived property:
(a) when it is acquired by an innocent party; or
(b) if it is restrained property – when the restraining order is set
aside under section 64; or
(c) if it has been forfeited – when a court orders its release under
section 121; or
(d) if it is money that has been forfeited or money that is the
proceeds of the sale of forfeited property – when it is paid to
the Public Trustee in accordance with section 148 or to the
Territory; or
(e) if it has been forfeited, but is not money – when the property is
disposed of in accordance with the Regulations; or
(f) in any other circumstances prescribed by the Regulations.
13
Information volunteered by financial institutions
13 Information volunteered by financial institutions
A financial institution that has information about a transaction with
the institution may give the information to the DPP or a police
officer if there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the
information:
(a) may be relevant to the investigation of a forfeiture offence; or
(b) may assist a court in deciding whether or not to make an
unexplained wealth declaration, a criminal benefit declaration
or a crime-used property substitution declaration; or
(c) may otherwise facilitate the operation of this Act or the
Regulations.
14
Preliminary inquiries from financial institutions
14 Preliminary inquiries from financial institutions
(1) For any proceedings under this Act or where there are reasonable
grounds for believing that the information is necessary to decide
whether to apply for any order, declaration or warrant under this
Act, the DPP or a police officer of or above the rank of
Superintendent may serve a notice or cause a notice to be served
on a financial institution requiring the institution to do one or more of
the following:
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 13
(a) provide information about whether a person described in the
notice holds an account with the institution;
(b) provide information about whether or not an account
described in the notice is held with the institution;
(c) identify an account held with the institution;
(d) identify the holder of an account held with the institution;
(e) provide information about the existence of any other kind of
transaction between the institution and a person described in
the notice;
(f) provide information about whether a person described in the
notice has applied to the institution to open an account,
borrow money or enter into any other type of transaction or
arrangement with the institution;
(g) if a transaction or arrangement mentioned in paragraph (e)
or (f) has taken place, is taking place or is to take place – give
the prescribed particulars.
(2) In complying with a notice under subsection (1), a financial
institution must provide the details in writing and must indicate the
balance of any relevant account and whether the account is current
or closed.
(3) A notice under subsection (1) is to be in writing and specify the
information required.
(4) Service of the notice on the institution may be effected personally,
by post, by facsimile transmission or in any other manner
prescribed by the Regulations.
(5) A financial institution that fails to comply with a requirement of a
notice under subsection (1) within 7 days, or any further period that
is specified in the notice, commits an offence.
15
Protection for financial institutions
15 Protection for financial institutions
(1) An action, suit or proceeding in relation to the giving of information
under section 13 does not lie against:
(a) the financial institution that gives the information; or
(b) an officer of the institution acting within his or her authority.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 14
(2) An action, suit or proceeding in relation to a financial institution's
response to a requirement in a notice under section 14 does not lie
against:
(a) the financial institution; or
(b) an officer of the financial institution who is acting within his or
her authority.
16
Giving false or misleading information
16 Giving false or misleading information
A financial institution commits an offence if the institution knowingly:
(a) provides false or misleading information under section 13; or
(b) provides false or misleading information in purported
compliance with a requirement in a notice under section 14.
17
Applications for orders for examination
17 Applications for orders for examination
(1) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for an order for the
examination of a person under this Division.
18
Orders for examination
18 Orders for examination
(1) The court that is hearing an application under section 17 may order
a person to submit to an examination about any or all of the
following:
(a) the nature, location and source of property that is subject to a
restraining order;
(b) the nature, location and source of property that is not
restrained but is suspected on reasonable grounds of being
liable to forfeiture under this Act;
(c) the wealth, liabilities, income and expenditure of a declared
drug trafficker or a person who has been charged with an
offence and who could, if convicted of the offence, be declared
to be a drug trafficker;
(d) the wealth, liabilities, income and expenditure of a person who
has been convicted of a forfeiture offence;
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 15
(e) the wealth, liabilities, income and expenditure of a person who
is suspected on reasonable grounds of being involved in or of
having been involved in the commission of a forfeiture offence;
(f) the wealth, liabilities, income and expenditure of a person who
has, or is suspected on reasonable grounds of having,
unexplained wealth;
(g) the nature, location and source of any property-tracking
documents.
(2) An examination order may do any or all of the following:
(a) require the person to give to the court any documents
person's possession or control about the property described in
the order;
(b) require the person to give to the court any documents
person's possession or control about the person's wealth,
liabilities, expenditure or income;
(c) require the person to give to the court any documents
person's possession or control about another person's wealth,
liabilities, expenditure or income;
(d) require the person to give to the court any information in the
person's possession or control that could help to locate,
identify or quantify any property or property-tracking
documents mentioned in subsection (1) or other documents or
information about the matters mentioned in that subsection;
(e) require the person to give any required information by affidavit
or require the person to attend the court for examination, or
both;
(f) give any directions or make any ancillary orders that are
necessary or convenient for giving effect to the examination
order or for ensuring that the person to whom the order is
directed complies with the order.
19
Service of orders for examination
19 Service of orders for examination
(1) The applicant in relation to an examination order must arrange for a
copy of the order to be served personally on the person to be
examined.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 16
(2) A copy of the order is not to be served on anyone except the
person to be examined.
20
Conduct of examinations
20 Conduct of examinations
(1) An examination is to be held in camera.
(2) A person who is being examined must attend the examination and
answer the questions of the examiner personally but is entitled to
have a legal advisor present during the examination.
21
Complying with examination orders
21 Complying with examination orders
(1) If an owner of restrained property who is or is to be examined in
connection with the property under an examination order fails to
comply with the order or the examiner's requirements under the
order:
(a) the owner is not entitled to file an objection to the restraint of
the property; and
(b) if the owner has already filed an objection – the objection is of
no effect; and
(c) the owner commits an offence.
(2) A person convicted of an offence against subsection (1) is liable to
a maximum penalty of 1 000 penalty units or an amount equal to
the value of the property, whichever is greater, or imprisonment for
(3) If a person who is or is to be examined under an examination order
in connection with another person's wealth, liabilities, income or
expenditure fails to comply with the order or the examiner's
requirements under the order, the person commits an offence.
Maximum penalty: 500 penalty units or imprisonment for
2 years.
(4) Without limiting subsection (1) or (3), a person who is examined
under an examination order fails to comply with the order for the
respective subsection if:
(a) the person fails to disclose material information, or gives false
information or a false document, in purported compliance with
the order; and
(b) the person was aware, or could reasonably have been
expected to have been aware, that the information was
material or that the information or document was false.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 17
(5) A person is not excused from complying with an examination order
or the examiner's requirements under the order on the grounds that
complying with the order:
(a) would tend to incriminate the person or expose him or her to a
penalty; or
(b) could result in the forfeiture of property.
(6) A person is not excused from complying with an examination order
on the grounds that complying with the order would be in breach of
an obligation of the person not to disclose information, or not to
disclose the existence or contents of a document, whether the
obligation arose under an Act or otherwise.
(7) A statement or disclosure made by a person in the course of
complying with an examination order is admissible as evidence
against the person:
(a) in a proceeding against the person for an offence against this
section; and
(b) in any civil proceeding; and
(c) in any proceeding under this Act that could lead to the
forfeiture of property owned, effectively controlled or given
away by the person, but only for facilitating the identification of
such property.
22
Application for production orders
22 Application for production orders
(1) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for a production order for
a property-tracking document.
23
Production orders
23 Production orders
(1) The court that is hearing an application under section 22 must order
a person identified in the application to produce the property-
tracking document described in the application if there are
reasonable grounds for suspecting that the document is in the
person's possession or control.
(2) An order under subsection (1) may direct the person:
(a) to give the property-tracking document to the DPP or a police
officer; or
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 18
(b) to make it available to the DPP or a police officer for
inspection.
(3) An order under subsection (1) is to specify the time and place for
the document to be given or made available.
24
Inspection of property-tracking documents
24 Inspection of property-tracking documents
(1) When a property-tracking document is given to the DPP or a police
officer in accordance with a direction under section 23(2)(a), the
DPP or member may do any or all of the following:
(a) inspect the document;
(b) take extracts from the document;
(c) make copies of the document;
(d) retain the document for as long as its retention is reasonably
required for this Act.
(2) If the DPP or police officer retains the property-tracking document,
the DPP or member must, on the request of the person required by
the order to produce the document:
(a) permit the person to inspect the document, take extracts from
it or make copies of it; or
(b) give the person a copy of the document certified by the DPP
or member in writing to be a true copy of the document.
(3) When a property-tracking document is made available to the DPP
or a police officer for inspection in accordance with a direction
under section 23(2)(b), the DPP or police officer may do any or all
of the following:
(a) inspect the document;
(b) take extracts from the document;
(c) make copies of the document.
25
Complying with production orders
25 Complying with production orders
(1) A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a
production order commits an offence.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 19
(2) A person commits an offence if the person, in purported compliance
with a production order, produces or makes available to the DPP or
a police officer a document that the person knows, or could
reasonably be expected to know, is false or misleading in a material
particular.
(3) Despite subsection (2), a person does not commit an offence if, as
soon as practicable after becoming aware that a document
produced is false or misleading, the person:
(a) tells the DPP or a police officer that the document is false or
misleading; and
(b) indicates the respects in which it is false or misleading; and
(c) gives the DPP or a police officer any correct information that is
in the person's possession or control.
(4) A person is not excused from complying with a production order on
the grounds that complying with the order would tend to incriminate
the person or expose him or her to a penalty.
(5) A person is not excused from complying with a production order on
the grounds that complying with the order would be in breach of an
obligation of the person not to disclose the existence or contents of
the document, whether the obligation arose under an Act or
otherwise.
(6) Any information contained in a property-tracking document
produced under a production order, or any statement or disclosure
made by a person in the course of complying with a production
order, is admissible in evidence against the person:
(a) in a proceeding against the person for an offence against this
section; and
(b) in any civil proceeding; and
(c) in any proceeding under this Act that could lead to the
forfeiture of property owned, effectively controlled or given
away by the person, but only for facilitating the identification of
such property.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 20
26
Variation of production orders
26 Variation of production orders
(1) If a production order requires a person to give a property-tracking
document to the DPP or a police officer, the person may apply to
the court that made the order to vary it so that it requires the person
to make the document available to the DPP or a police officer for
inspection.
(2) The court may vary the order accordingly if it finds that the
document is essential to the lawful business activities of the person.
27
Property-tracking documents
27 Property-tracking documents
For this Act, a document is a property-tracking document if the
document is relevant to:
(a) identifying or locating crime-used property or crime-derived
property; or
(b) determining the value of any crime-used property or crime-
derived property; or
(c) identifying or locating any or all constituents of a person's
wealth; or
(d) determining the value of any or all constituents of a person's
wealth; or
(e) identifying or locating any document relating to the transfer of
restrained or forfeited property.
28
Applications for monitoring and suspension orders
28 Applications for monitoring and suspension orders
(1) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for a monitoring order or
a suspension order.
29
Monitoring and suspension orders
29 Monitoring and suspension orders
(1) The court that is hearing an application under section 28 may order
a financial institution to give to the DPP or a police officer
information about any or all transactions carried out through an
account held with the institution by a person named in the order.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 21
(2) The court that is hearing an application under section 28 may order
a financial institution:
(a) to notify the DPP or a police officer immediately of any
transaction that has been initiated in connection with an
account held with the institution by a person named in the
order; and
(b) to notify the DPP or a police officer immediately if there are
reasonable grounds for suspecting that a transaction is about
to be initiated in connection with the account; and
(c) to refrain from completing or effecting the transaction for
48 hours.
(3) The court may make a monitoring order or a suspension order if
there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the person named
in the order:
(a) has been, or is about to be, involved in the commission of a
forfeiture offence; or
(b) has acquired, or is about to acquire, directly or indirectly, any
crime-derived property; or
(c) has benefited, or is about to benefit, directly or indirectly, from
the commission of a forfeiture offence.
(4) A monitoring order or a suspension order applies to all transactions
carried out or to be carried out through the specified account during
the monitoring period or suspension period specified in the order.
(5) A monitoring order or a suspension order must specify:
(a) the financial institution to which the order applies; and
(b) the name or names in which the account is believed to be
held; and
(c) the class of information that the institution is required to give;
and
(d) the manner in which the information is to be given; and
(e) the monitoring period or suspension period in accordance with
subsection (6).
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 22
(6) The monitoring period of a monitoring order or suspension period of
a suspension order:
(a) is not to commence earlier than the day on which notice of the
order is served on the financial institution; and
(b) is to end not more than 3 months after the date of the order.
30
Compliance with monitoring or suspension order
30 Compliance with monitoring or suspension order
A financial institution commits an offence if the institution knowingly:
(a) fails to comply with a monitoring order or suspension order; or
(b) provides false or misleading information in purported
compliance with the order.
31
Disclosure not permitted
31 Disclosure not permitted
(1) A person must not, except as permitted under section 32, disclose
to another person:
(a) the fact that a financial institution, or an officer of a financial
institution, intends to give or has given information to the DPP
or a police officer under section 13; or
(b) the nature of any information given under section 13; or
(c) the fact that a notice has been or is to be issued, or a
response to a notice has been or is to be made, under
section 14; or
(d) the content of a notice or response made under section 14; or
(e) the fact that he or she has been subject to a production order
or an examination order in relation to another person's wealth,
liabilities, expenditure or income; or
(f) the fact that another person is or has been subject to, or the
subject of, a production order, an examination order, a
monitoring order or a suspension order; or
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 23
(g) the contents of any examination order, production order,
monitoring order or suspension order.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), a person discloses information in
contravention of that subsection if the person:
(a) discloses information to another person from which the other
person could reasonably be expected to infer that a notice
under section 14 has been or is to be issued or a response to
such a notice has been or is to be made; or
(b) discloses information to another person from which that
person could reasonably be expected to infer anything about
the nature or contents of a notice or response under
section 14; or
(c) makes or keeps a record of any information about a notice or
response under section 14, other than a copy for the person's
own records of the notice or the information provided in
response to the notice; or
(d) discloses information to another person about the existence or
operation of an examination order, a production order, a
monitoring order or a suspension order; or
(e) discloses information to another person from which that
person could reasonably be expected to infer anything about
the existence or operation of an examination order, a
production order, a monitoring order or a suspension order; or
(f) makes or keeps a record of any information about the
existence or operation of an examination order, a production
order, a monitoring order or a suspension order, other than a
copy for the person's own records of:
(i) an order directed to the person; or
(ii) the information provided by the person in response to
the order.
32
Disclosing information
32 Disclosing information
(1) A corporation or an officer of a corporation may disclose information
to any one or more of the following without contravening section 31:
(a) the DPP, a police officer or a member of the Australian Crime
Commission;
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 24
(b) an officer of the corporation, for giving information under
section 13;
(c) an officer of the corporation, for ensuring that a requirement of
a notice under section 14 is complied with;
(d) an officer of the corporation, for ensuring that an examination
order, a production order, a monitoring order or a suspension
order is complied with;
(e) a legal practitioner, for obtaining legal advice or representation
in relation to giving information under section 13 or complying
with a requirement under section 14;
(f) a legal practitioner, for obtaining legal advice or representation
in relation to an examination order, a production order, a
monitoring order or a suspension order.
(2) An individual who is not acting in the capacity of an officer of a
corporation or of a legal practitioner may disclose information to any
one or more of the following without contravening section 31:
(a) the DPP;
(b) a police officer;
(c) a member of the Australian Crime Commission;
(d) a legal practitioner, for obtaining legal advice or representation
in relation to an examination order.
(3) A legal practitioner to whom information is disclosed under
subsection (1) or (2) may disclose the information to a person to
whom it could have been disclosed under the respective subsection
for giving legal advice or representing a person in relation to the
matter disclosed.
(4) Subject to subsection (5), a person (except a legal practitioner) to
whom information is disclosed under subsection (1) or (2) may
disclose the information to another person to whom it could have
been disclosed under the respective subsection.
(5) If information about a particular matter may only be disclosed under
subsection (1) or (2) in particular circumstances or for a particular
purpose, a person must not disclose the information under
subsection (4) except in those circumstances or for that purpose.
(6) If a person to whom information about a particular matter is
disclosed under this section stops being a person of a kind to whom
the information may be disclosed, he or she must not disclose the
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 25
information to anyone except a police officer, the DPP or a member
of the Australian Crime Commission.
(7) A person who contravenes subsection (6) commits an offence.
33
Power to detain persons
33 Power to detain persons
(1) A police officer may at any time stop and detain a person if there
are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the person has in his or
her possession property liable to forfeiture under this Act or
property-tracking documents.
(2) A police officer may at any time stop and detain a person if there
are reasonable grounds for suspecting that another person is
holding property liable to forfeiture under this Act or property-
tracking documents on behalf of the person to be detained.
(3) For exercising his or her powers under subsection (1) or (2), a
police officer may stop and detain a vehicle.
(4) If a police officer detains a person under subsection (1) or (2), the
member may:
(a) search the person in accordance with section 35; and
(b) search any baggage, package, vehicle or anything else
apparently in the possession or under the control of the
person.
(5) When exercising his or her powers under this section, a police
officer may use any necessary force and any assistance the
member thinks necessary.
34
Search warrants
34 Search warrants
(1) A police officer may apply to a justice of the peace for a search
warrant.
(2) An application for a search warrant under this section may be made
by telephone or other electronic means and section 118 of the
Police Administration Act 1978 applies, with the necessary
changes, in respect of a warrant that is issued on such an
application.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 26
(3) A justice of the peace may issue a warrant to search any premises
if satisfied, by information on oath, that there are reasonable
grounds for suspecting that any property liable to forfeiture under
this Act or any property-tracking documents:
(a) is or are in or on the premises; or
(b) will be in or on the premises within the next 72 hours.
(4) Subsection (3) applies also to property that is owned or effectively
controlled by a person who has been charged with an offence and
who could be declared to be a drug trafficker under section 36A of
the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990 if he or she is convicted of the
offence.
(5) A search warrant under this section may authorise a police officer
to do any or all of the following, using any necessary force and with
any assistance the member thinks necessary:
(a) enter the premises described in the warrant;
(b) search the premises;
(c) search any baggage, package or other thing found in or on the
premises;
(d) detain any person in or on the premises and search the
person in accordance with section 35.
(6) A search warrant under this section:
(a) may be executed at any time of night or day; and
(b) subject to section 37, continues in force for 30 days after the
day on which it was issued.
35
Searching detained persons
35 Searching detained persons
(1) When a police officer exercises his or her power to detain a person
under section 33 or under a warrant under section 34, the member
must ensure that if the person is searched, he or she is searched
by a person of the same sex or a medical practitioner.
(2) If a suitable person is not available to search a detained person as
required by subsection (1), the police officer may:
(a) detain the person for as long as is reasonably necessary for a
suitable person to become available; and
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 27
(b) if appropriate, convey the person to a place where a suitable
person is available.
36
Additional powers
36 Additional powers
(1) When a police officer exercises any of his or her powers under
section 33 or under a warrant under section 34, the member may
do any or all of the following:
(a) seize and detain any documents found in the course of
exercising those powers if there are reasonable grounds for
suspecting that they are property-tracking documents;
(b) take extracts from or make copies of, or download or print out,
any property-tracking documents found in the course of
exercising those powers;
(c) require a person who has control of any property-tracking
documents found in the course of exercising those powers to
make copies of, or download or print out, any property-
tracking documents found in the course of exercising those
powers;
(d) require a person to give to the member any information within
the person's knowledge or control that is relevant to locating
property that is reasonably suspected of being liable to
forfeiture under this Act;
(e) require a person to give to the member any information within
the person's knowledge or control that is relevant to
determining whether or not property is liable to forfeiture under
this Act;
(f) require a person to give the member, or arrange for the
member to be given, any translation, codes, passwords or
other information necessary to gain access to or to interpret
and understand any property-tracking documents or
information located or obtained in the course of exercising the
member's powers under the warrant.
(2) A person who fails to comply with a requirement under
subsection (1) commits an offence.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 28
(3) Without limiting subsection (2), a person fails to comply with a
requirement under subsection (1) if the person:
(a) does not disclose material information of which the person had
knowledge, or gives false information or a false document, in
purported compliance with the requirement; and
(b) was aware, or could reasonably have been expected to have
been aware, that the information was material or that the
information or document was false.
(4) A person is not excused from complying with a requirement under
subsection (1) on the grounds that complying with it would tend to
incriminate the person or expose him or her to a penalty, but any
information given in compliance with the requirement is not
admissible in evidence in proceedings against the person for any
offence except an offence against subsection (2).
37
Later-produced documents
37 Later-produced documents
If a warrant under section 34 authorises any action to be taken in
relation to a document that was in existence at the time that the
warrant was issued, but at the time that the warrant was executed it
was physically impossible for the document to be produced, a
police officer may take the action when the document becomes
available even if the warrant has by then expired.
38
Warrants under other Acts
38 Warrants under other Acts
This Act does not affect the operation of any other Act requiring or
authorising a police officer to obtain a warrant to enter or search
Part 4
Ensuring property remains available for
Part 4 Ensuring property remains available for
forfeiture
39
Seizure of crime-used or crime-derived property
39 Seizure of crime-used or crime-derived property
(1) A police officer may seize any property if there are reasonable
grounds for suspecting that the property:
(a) is crime-used property; or
(b) is crime-derived property; or
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 29
(c) is owned or effectively controlled by a person who has been
charged with an offence and who could be declared to be a
drug trafficker under section 36A of the Misuse of Drugs
Act 1990 if he or she is convicted of the offence.
(2) A police officer may:
(a) at any time remove the seized property from the place in
which it was found and retain it; or
(b) guard the property in the place in which it was found.
(3) A police officer may retain or guard the property:
(a) if an interim restraining order under section 40 or a restraining
order under section 43 or 44 is or has been made in relation to
the property, including within 72 hours after the property was
seized – while the interim restraining order or restraining order
is in force; or
(b) if no interim restraining order or restraining order is in effect in
relation to the property – for not more than 72 hours after the
property was seized.
(4) Any income or other property derived from seized property while it
is being retained or guarded is taken for all purposes to be part of
the seized property.
40
Interim restraining order
40 Interim restraining order
(1) The Local Court may, on application by a police officer or the DPP,
make an interim restraining order in relation to:
(a) the property of a person named in the application; or
(b) property specified in the application;
if the applicant satisfies the court:
(c) that an application is to be made under section 43 or 44 in
relation to the person or the property as soon as reasonably
practicable; and
(d) that the circumstances justify the making of the interim
restraining order.
(2) The court may make an interim restraining order under this section
despite that the value of the restrained property may exceed the
jurisdictional limit of the court set by section 135 or under another
Act.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 30
(3) An application for an interim restraining order may be made by
telephone or other electronic means.
(4) An interim restraining order has effect until the expiration of
3 working days after the order was made.
41
Applications for restraining orders
41 Applications for restraining orders
(1) A police officer or the DPP may apply to the Local Court for a
restraining order under section 43(1).
(2) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for a restraining order
under this Division.
(3) An application under subsection (1) or (2) may be made ex parte.
42
Proceedings for restraining orders
42 Proceedings for restraining orders
In proceedings for a restraining order, the court that is hearing the
application under section 41 may do any or all of the following:
(a) order that the whole or any part of the proceedings is to be
heard in closed court;
(b) order that only persons or classes of persons specified by the
court may be present during the whole or any part of the
proceedings;
(c) make an order prohibiting the publication of a report of the
whole or any part of the proceedings or of any information
derived from the proceedings.
43
Restraining order in relation to specified property
43 Restraining order in relation to specified property
(1) Subject to section 135, the Local Court may, on application by a
police officer or the DPP, make a restraining order in relation to
property specified in the application if there are reasonable grounds
for suspecting that the property is crime-used or crime-derived.
(2) The Supreme Court may, on application by the DPP, make a
restraining order in relation to property specified in the application in
any of the following cases:
(a) if there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the
property is crime-used or crime-derived;
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 31
(b) if the property is a subject of an examination order, whether or
not the person to whom the examination order is directed
owns or effectively controls the property;
(c) if the property is funds held in an account that is a subject of a
monitoring order;
(d) if the property is funds held in an account to which a
suspension order applies.
(3) Subsection (2) also applies to property where the court is advised
that an application has been made, or it is intended that within
21 days after the application for the restraining order an application
will be made, for the examination order, monitoring order or
suspension order (as the case may be).
44
Restraining orders in relation to property of named persons
44 Restraining orders in relation to property of named persons
(1) The Supreme Court may, on application by the DPP, make a
restraining order in relation to the property of a person named in the
application if:
(a) the person has been charged, or it is intended that within
21 days after the application the person will be charged, with
an offence that, if the person is convicted of the offence, could
lead to the person being declared to be a drug trafficker under
section 36A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990; or
(b) an application has been made, or it is intended that within
21 days after the application for the restraining order an
application will be made, for one or more of the following in
relation to the person:
(i) a production order;
(ii) an unexplained wealth declaration;
(iii) a criminal benefit declaration;
(iv) a crime-used property substitution declaration; or
(c) an order or declaration mentioned in paragraph (b) has been
made in relation to the person.
(2) A restraining order under this section can apply to:
(a) all or any property that is owned or effectively controlled by the
person at the time of the application for the restraining order,
whether or not any of the property is described or identified in
the application; and
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 32
(b) all property acquired:
(i) by the person; or
(ii) by another person at the request or direction of the
person named in the application for the restraining order;
after the restraining order is issued.
(3) The court must not refuse to make a restraining order under
subsection (1)(b)(ii), (iii) or (iv) only because the value of the
property subject to the restraining order exceeds, or could exceed,
the amount that the person could be liable to pay to the Territory if
the relevant declaration is made.
45
Restraining order to specify grounds
45 Restraining order to specify grounds
(1) If an application is made under section 41 for a restraining order,
the court that is hearing the application must:
(a) consider each matter that is alleged by the applicant, either in
the application or in the course of the proceedings, as a
ground for making the order; and
(b) if the order is made – set out in the order each ground that the
court finds is a ground on which the order may be made.
(2) If the court that is hearing an application under section 41 is
satisfied that the release of information contained in an affidavit in
support of the application may materially prejudice an ongoing
investigation, the court may order that the information is not to be
provided when a copy of the restraining order is served on any
person.
46
Scope of restraining order
46 Scope of restraining order
(1) In a restraining order, the court that makes the order may do any or
all of the following:
(a) direct that any income or other property derived from the
property while the order is in force is to be treated as part of
the property;
(b) if the property is moveable – direct that the property is not to
be moved except in accordance with the order;
(c) appoint the Public Trustee or another person to manage the
property while the order is in force;
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 33
(d) give any other directions necessary to provide for the security
and management of the property while the order is in force;
(e) provide for meeting the reasonable living and business
expenses of the owner of the property.
(2) In subsection (1)(e), reasonable living and business expenses does
not include legal expenses mentioned in section 154.
47
Service of restraining order
47 Service of restraining order
(1) As soon as practicable after a restraining order is made, the
applicant in relation to the order must arrange for a copy of the
order and a notice that complies with subsection (5) to be served
personally on each of the following persons:
(a) if property that is subject to the order was taken from a person
or is in the custody of a person – that person;
(b) any person known to the applicant at the time the order was
made who has, may have or claims to have an interest in the
property subject to the order.
(2) If property subject to the order is registrable under an Act other than
the Land Title Act 2000, the applicant must notify the appropriate
registrar of the issue of the notice.
(3) If, as a result of a statutory declaration made in accordance with
section 48 by a person who was served under subsection (1) with a
copy of the restraining order, the applicant becomes aware of
another person who has, may have or claims to have an interest in
the property subject to the order, the applicant must arrange for
personal service of a copy of the order on the other person as soon
as practicable.
(4) Subsections (1) and (3) do not prevent the applicant from serving a
copy of the restraining order and a notice at any time on any other
person of whom the applicant becomes aware who has, may have
or claims to have an interest in the property.
(5) The notice mentioned in subsection (1) is to:
(a) summarise the effect of the order, including the period for
which it applies; and
(b) advise the person on whom the order and the notice are
served:
(i) that the property described in the order may be forfeited
under this Act; and
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 34
(ii) that he or she can, within 28 days after being served
with the copy of the order, file in the court that made the
order an objection to the restraint of the property; and
(iii) of the person's obligation to make and lodge a statutory
declaration in accordance with section 48.
(6) The applicant in relation to the restraining order must ensure that:
(a) an affidavit of service is endorsed on a copy of each copy of
the restraining order that is served on a person; and
(b) each endorsed copy is filed in the court that made the order.
48
Statutory declaration required from person served with
48 Statutory declaration required from person served with
restraining order
(1) A person who is served under section 47(1) or (3) with a copy of a
restraining order must make a statutory declaration as to the
matters set out in subsection (2) and file the declaration in the court
that made the restraining order within 7 days after being served
with the order.
(2) In a statutory declaration under this section, the declarant must:
(a) state the name and, if known, the address of any other person
of whom the declarant is aware who has, may have or claims
to have an interest in property that is subject to the restraining
order; or
(b) if the declarant is not aware of any other person who has, may
have or claims to have an interest in property that is subject to
the restraining notice – make a statement to that effect.
Maximum penalty: 2 000 penalty units or imprisonment for
2 years.
49
Effect of restraining order
49 Effect of restraining order
(1) While a restraining order is in effect in relation to property:
(a) subject to Division 3, the property cannot be dealt with; and
(b) the applicant in relation to the restraining order may apply
under this Act to the court that made the restraining order for
an order that all or some of the property is forfeit to the
Territory.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 35
(2) Income or other property that is derived from property subject to a
restraining order is taken to be part of the property and is also
subject to the restraining order.
(3) A person may apply to the court that made a restraining order for
the release of property that is subject to the order to meet
reasonable living and business expenses of the owner of the
(4) In subsection (3), reasonable living and business expenses does
not include legal expenses mentioned in section 154.
50
Setting aside of restraining order
50 Setting aside of restraining order
(1) The applicant in relation to a restraining order under section 43(1)
or (2)(a) must request the court that made the order to set the order
aside if the grounds for suspecting that the property is crime-used
or crime-derived no longer exist.
(2) The applicant in relation to a restraining order under
section 44(1)(a) must request the court that made the order to set
the order aside if the person could not be declared to be a drug
trafficker.
(3) The applicant in relation to a restraining order may request the
court that made the order to set the order aside for any other
reason.
(4) If a restraining order relating to property is set aside, the applicant
in relation to the restraining order must ensure that:
(a) notice of the setting aside is served personally, as soon as
practicable, on each person on whom a copy of the restraining
order was served under section 47; and
(b) any property subject to the restraining order that is being
retained under section 39(2) is returned to the person from
whom it was seized unless it is to be otherwise dealt with
under this Act or another Act; and
(c) any property subject to the restraining order that is being
guarded under section 39(2) is released from guard; and
(d) if the applicant is aware that the person to whom property is to
be returned under paragraph (b) is not the owner of the
property – the owner is notified, where practicable, of the
setting aside of the restraining order and the return of the
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 36
51
Duration of restraining order
51 Duration of restraining order
(1) A restraining order under section 43 or 44 has effect for the period
set by the court when the order is made.
(2) On application, the court that made a restraining order may extend
the duration of the order for a further period.
(3) The court that made a restraining order may extend the duration of
the order on as many occasions as the court sees fit.
(4) If the period of a restraining order is extended under this section,
the applicant in relation to the order must serve a notice of the
extension on each person on whom a notice was served under
section 47.
52
Restraining order ceases to have effect
52 Restraining order ceases to have effect
(1) If a restraining order has been made under section 43(1) or (2)(a) in
relation to suspected crime-used or crime-derived property, the
order ceases to have effect if within the period set (or extended) by
the court under section 51 an application has not been made:
(a) if the property is crime-derived – either under section 73 for a
criminal benefits declaration or under Part 7 for forfeiture of
the property; or
(b) if the property is crime-used – under Part 7 for forfeiture of the
(2) If a restraining order has been made under section 44(1)(a) in
relation to property of a person who was to be charged with an
offence, the order ceases to have effect if within 21 days after the
date of the order the person has not been charged with the offence
indicated in the application for the order or an alternative offence.
(3) If a restraining order has been issued under section 44(1)(a) in
relation to property of a person who has been charged, or who was
to be charged and a charge has been laid within 21 days after the
date of the order, the order ceases to have effect:
(a) if the charge is finally determined but the person is not
declared under section 36A of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990
to be a drug trafficker; or
(b) if the charge is disposed of without being determined.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 37
(4) If a restraining order has been made under section 43 on the basis
that an application had been made or was to be made for another
order, the restraining order ceases to have effect if:
(a) within 21 days after the making of the restraining order an
application has not been made for the other order; or
(b) the application for the other order is withdrawn; or
(c) the application for the other order is finally determined but the
court that heard the application does not make the other order.
(5) If a restraining order has been made under section 44(1)(b) on the
basis that an application was to be made for a production order or a
declaration, the restraining order ceases to have effect if:
(a) within 21 days after the making of the restraining order an
application has not been made for the production order or the
declaration; or
(b) the application for the production order or declaration is
withdrawn; or
(c) the application for the production order or declaration is finally
determined but the court that heard the application does not
make the production order or declaration; or
(d) if a declaration is made – the respondent's liability to pay to
the Territory the amount ordered by the court that made the
declaration (including any costs awarded against the
respondent) is satisfied, whether or not all or any of the
property subject to the restraining order was transferred to the
Territory to satisfy the liability.
(6) A restraining order made under section 43 or 44 ceases to have
effect if the order is set aside under section 50 or Part 5.
(7) Despite anything in this section, a restraining order that was issued
under both sections 43 and 44 or on more than one ground under
either section:
(a) only ceases to have effect if set aside on all grounds; and
(b) if set aside on only some of the grounds – continues in effect
on each remaining ground.
(8) A restraining order ceases to have effect in relation to property if
the property is forfeited to the Territory under Part 7, Division 3.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 38
53
Real property
53 Real property
(1) If a restraining order is issued in relation to land:
(a) the applicant in relation to the restraining order must lodge an
instrument, together with a copy of the restraining order, with
the Registrar-General; and
(b) the instrument has effect as a memorandum mentioned in
section 35 of the Land Title Act 2000 and is taken to be lodged
by the appropriate Minister; and
(c) the restraining order takes effect in relation to the land when
the instrument is registered under the Land Title Act 2000 and
the Registrar-General enters a statutory restrictions notice in
the land register.
(2) If, in accordance with section 52, a restraining order ceases to have
effect and the order relates wholly or in part to land:
(a) the DPP must lodge an instrument with the Registrar-General
advising that the order has ceased to have effect; and
(b) despite section 52, the restraining order only ceases to have
effect in relation to the land when the instrument mentioned in
paragraph (a) is registered under the Land Title Act 2000 and
the statutory restrictions notice is removed from the land
register.
54
Property may be restrained under more than one order
54 Property may be restrained under more than one order
(1) Property may be restrained under this Act under more than one
order at the same time on the same or different grounds.
(2) If a restraining order ceases to have effect in relation to property,
the property remains restrained under any other restraining order in
relation to the property while the other order remains in effect.
55
Prohibited dealings
55 Prohibited dealings
(1) A person must not deal with seized or restrained property in any
way.
Maximum penalty: 1 000 penalty units or the value of the
property (whichever is greater), or
imprisonment for 5 years.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 39
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to:
(a) a person acting in accordance with an order under
section 46(1)(c), 109(2) or 111(2);
(b) for seized property – a police officer acting under section 39 or
a person acting under the direction of a police officer who is
acting in accordance with this Act; or
(c) for restrained property – a person acting in accordance with
the restraining order.
(3) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence under subsection (1)
in relation to seized property if the defendant establishes that he or
she did not know, and cannot reasonably be expected to have
known, that the property was seized under section 39 at the
material time.
(4) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence under subsection (1)
in relation to property subject to a restraining order if the
respondent establishes that he or she did not know, and cannot
reasonably be expected to have known, that the restraining order
was in force at the material time.
(5) Subsection (1) does not prevent a person from being dealt with for
a contempt of the court that made a restraining order for a
contravention of the order, but the person is not punishable for both
a contempt and an offence under subsection (1) arising from the
same contravention.
56
Dealing with property
56 Dealing with property
(1) A reference in this Act to dealing with property includes a reference
to doing or attempting to do any of the following:
(a) sell the property or give it away;
(b) dispose of the property in any other way;
(c) move or use the property;
(d) accept the property as a gift;
(e) take any profit, benefit or proceeds from the property;
(f) create, increase or alter any legal or equitable right or
obligation in relation to the property;
(g) effect a change in the effective control of the property.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 40
(2) In subsection (1), a reference to the use of property does not
include reasonable and necessary use for ordinary daily
requirements of life.
(3) Subsection (1) does not prevent:
(a) the renewal of a pre-existing lease agreement over land; or
(b) the issue of a notice of default by a landlord or mortgagee,
and the exercise of the landlord or mortgagee's rights, under
the terms of the lease or mortgage, as the case may be.
57
Permitted dealings in mortgaged property
57 Permitted dealings in mortgaged property
If property that is mortgaged becomes subject to a restraining
order, this Act does not:
(a) prevent the mortgagor from making payments to the
mortgagee in accordance with the mortgage if the payments
are made with money that has not been seized or restrained;
or
(b) prevent the mortgagee from accepting payments from the
mortgagor in accordance with the mortgage.
58
Effect of dealing in property subject to restraining order
58 Effect of dealing in property subject to restraining order
Despite any other Act, any dealing with property that contravenes
section 55 has no effect, whether at law, in equity or otherwise, on
the rights of the Territory under this Act.
59
Objections to restraining of property
59 Objections to restraining of property
(1) A person may file in the court that made the relevant restraining
order an objection to the restraint of the property.
(2) An objection is to identify:
(a) the property to which the objection relates; and
(b) the grounds for objection against the property being
restrained.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 41
60
Time for filing objection
60 Time for filing objection
(1) If a copy of the restraining order was served on the objector under
section 47, the objection is to be filed:
(a) within 28 days after the day on which the copy of the order
was served on the objector; or
(b) within any further time allowed by the court in which the
objection is filed.
(2) If a copy of the restraining order was not served on the objector
under section 47, the objection is to be filed:
(a) within 28 days after the day on which the objector becomes
aware, or could reasonably be expected to have become
aware, that the property has been restrained; or
(b) within any further time allowed by the court in which the
objection is filed.
(3) The court may allow further time under subsection (2) or (3) despite
that the time for filing the objection has expired.
61
Parties to objection proceedings
61 Parties to objection proceedings
The Territory is a party to proceedings on an objection.
62
Setting aside restraining order
62 Setting aside restraining order
(1) The court that is hearing an objection to the restraint of property
may set aside the relevant restraining order to the extent provided
by section 63, 64 or 65.
(2) Despite subsection (1), if the property was restrained on 2 or more
grounds but the court does not set aside the restraining order in
relation to all the grounds, the restraining order continues in force
on each remaining ground.
(3) If a court sets aside a restraining order under this Part, the court
may make any necessary or convenient ancillary orders.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 42
63
Setting aside restraining order – crime-used property
63 Setting aside restraining order – crime-used property
(1) The court that is hearing an objection to the restraint of property on
the ground that the property is crime-used may set aside the
(a) the objector establishes that:
(i) the objector is a spouse, de facto partner or dependant
of an owner of the property; and
(ii) the objector is an innocent party or is less than 18 years
old; and
(iii) the objector was usually resident on the property at the
time the relevant forfeiture offence was committed or is
most likely to have been committed; and
(iv) the objector was usually resident on the property at the
time the objection was filed; and
(v) the objector has no other residence at the time of
hearing the objection; and
(vi) the objector would suffer undue hardship if the property
is forfeited; and
(vii) it is not practicable to make adequate provision for the
objector by some other means; or
(b) the objector establishes that:
(i) the objector is the owner of the property or is one of 2 or
more owners of the property; and
(ii) the property is not effectively controlled by a person who
made criminal use of the property; and
(iii) the objector is an innocent party in relation to the
(iv) each other owner (if there are more than one) is an
(c) the objector establishes that it is more likely than not that the
property is not crime-used.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 43
(2) If the objector fails to establish for subsection (1)(b) that each other
owner is an innocent party, the court that is hearing the objection
may:
(a) order that, when the property is sold after forfeiture, the
objector is to be paid an amount from the proceeds of the sale
that is in proportion to the objector's share of the property; or
(b) set aside the restraining order in relation to the property if it
also orders the objector to pay to the Territory the value of the
share of the property that the court finds is attributable to the
owner or owners who are not established to be innocent
parties.
(3) In an order under subsection (2), the court must specify:
(a) the proportion that it finds to be the objector's share of the
(4) On application by the DPP or an owner of the property, the court
that made a restraining order on the ground that the relevant
property is crime-used may set the order aside if the court also
orders the objector to pay to the Territory the value of the property.
(5) The court that is hearing the objection or application must assess
the value of property:
(a) for subsection (2)(b) – at the time of hearing the objection; and
(b) for subsection (4) – at the time of hearing the application;
and must specify the assessed value in the order.
64
Setting aside restraining order – crime-derived property
64 Setting aside restraining order – crime-derived property
(1) The court that is hearing an objection to the restraint of property on
the ground that the property is crime-derived may set aside the
(a) the objector establishes that:
(i) the objector is the owner of the property or is one of 2 or
more owners of the property; and
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 44
(ii) the property is not effectively controlled by a person who
wholly or partly derived or realised the property, directly
or indirectly, from the commission of a forfeiture offence;
and
(iii) the objector is an innocent party in relation to the
(iv) each other owner (if there are more than one) is an
(b) the objector establishes that it is more likely than not that the
property is not crime-derived.
(2) If the objector fails to establish for subsection (1)(a) that each other
owner is an innocent party, the court that is hearing the objection
may:
(a) order that, when the property is sold after forfeiture, the
objector is to be paid an amount from the proceeds of the sale
that is in proportion to the objector's share of the property; or
(b) set aside the restraining order in relation to the property if it
also orders the objector to pay to the Territory the value of the
share of the property that the court finds is attributable to the
owner or owners who are not established to be innocent
parties.
(3) In an order under subsection (2), the court must specify:
(a) the proportion that it finds to be the objector's share of the
(4) On application by the DPP or an owner of the property, the court
that made a restraining order on the ground that the relevant
property is crime-derived may set the order aside if the court also
orders the objector to pay to the Territory the value of the property.
(5) The court that is hearing the objection or application must assess
the value of property:
(a) for subsection (2)(b) – at the time of hearing the objection; and
(b) for subsection (4) – at the time of hearing the application;
and must specify the assessed value in the order.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 45
65
Setting aside restraining order – other property
65 Setting aside restraining order – other property
(1) The court that made a restraining order under section 44(1)(a) may
set the order aside if the court finds that it is more likely than not
that the person who is or will be charged with the offence does not
own or effectively control the property, and has not at any time
given it away.
(2) The court that made a restraining order under section 44(1)(b)
or (c) may set the order aside if the court finds that it is more likely
than not that the person who is or will be the respondent to the
unexplained wealth declaration, criminal benefits declaration or
crime-used property substitution declaration does not own or
effectively control the property, and has not at any time given it
away.
66
Innocent party
66 Innocent party
(1) A person is an innocent party in relation to crime-used property if:
(a) he or she did not know and had no reasonable grounds for
suspecting:
(i) that the relevant forfeiture offence was being or would be
committed; or
(ii) that the property was being or would be used in or in
connection with the commission of a forfeiture offence;
or
(b) he or she took all reasonable steps to prevent:
(i) the commission of the offence; or
(ii) the use of the property in or in connection with the
commission of the offence;
and the person was not in any way involved in the commission of
the relevant forfeiture offence.
(2) A person who owns or effectively controls crime-used property is an
innocent party in relation to the property if:
(a) the person did not acquire the property or its effective control
before the time that the relevant forfeiture offence was
committed or is likely to have been committed; and
(b) at the time of acquiring the property or its effective control, the
person did not know and had no reasonable grounds for
suspecting that the property was crime-used; and
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 46
(c) if the person acquired the property for valuable
consideration – the consideration was lawfully acquired; and
(d) the person did not acquire the property or its effective control,
whether by gift or for valuable consideration, with the intention
of avoiding the operation of this Act.
(3) A person is an innocent party in relation to crime-derived property if:
(a) the person acquired the property, or the person's share of it (if
it is owned by more than one person), for valuable
consideration; and
(b) the consideration was lawfully acquired; and
(c) before acquiring the property or share, the person made
reasonable inquiries, and took all other action reasonable in
the circumstances, to ascertain whether or not the property
was crime-derived; and
(d) despite the inquiries made under paragraph (c), at the time of
acquiring the property or share the person did not know and
had no reasonable grounds for suspecting that the property
was crime-derived; and
(e) the person did not acquire the property or share with the
intention of avoiding the operation of this Act.
67
Application for unexplained wealth declaration
67 Application for unexplained wealth declaration
(1) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for an unexplained
wealth declaration against a person.
(2) An application under subsection (1) may be made in conjunction
68
Unexplained wealth
68 Unexplained wealth
(1) For this Act, a person has unexplained wealth if the value of the
person's total wealth as described in subsection (2) is greater than
the value of the person's lawfully acquired wealth as described in
subsection (3).
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 47
(2) The value of the person's total wealth is the total value of all the
items of property, and all the services, advantages and benefits,
that together constitute the person's wealth.
(3) The value of the person's lawfully acquired wealth is the total value
of all the items of property, and all the services, advantages and
benefits, that constitute the person's wealth and were lawfully
acquired.
69
Assessing the value of unexplained wealth
69 Assessing the value of unexplained wealth
(1) The respondent's unexplained wealth is the difference between:
(a) the respondent's total wealth; and
(b) the respondent's lawfully acquired wealth.
(2) When assessing the respondent's wealth:
(a) the value of any property, service, advantage or benefit that is
a constituent of the respondent's wealth is taken to be the
greater of:
(ii) its value on the day that the application for the
unexplained wealth declaration was made; and
(b) the value of any property, service, advantage or benefit that
was a constituent of the respondent's wealth but has been
given away, used, consumed or discarded, or that is for any
other reason no longer available, is taken to be an outgoing at
the greater of:
(ii) its value immediately before it was given away, or was
used, consumed or discarded, or stopped being
available; and
(c) the court that is hearing an application under section 67 must
not take account of:
(i) any property that has been forfeited under this Act or
any other Act; or
(ii) any property, service, advantage or benefit that was
taken into account in making an earlier unexplained
wealth declaration against the respondent; or
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 48
(iii) any property, service, advantage or benefit in relation to
which a criminal benefits declaration has been made.
70
The constituents of a person's wealth
70 The constituents of a person's wealth
The following property, services, advantages and benefits
constitute a person's wealth:
(a) all property that the person owns, whether the property was
acquired before or after the commencement of this Act;
(b) all property that the person effectively controls, whether the
person acquired effective control of the property before or
after the commencement of this Act;
(c) all property that the person has given away at any time,
whether before or after the commencement of this Act;
(d) all other property acquired by the person at any time, whether
before or after the commencement of this Act, including
consumer goods and consumer durables that have been
consumed or discarded (but not including necessary food,
clothing and other items reasonably necessary for ordinary
daily requirements of life);
(e) all services, advantages and benefits that the person has
acquired at any time, whether before or after the
commencement of this Act;
(f) all property, services, advantages and benefits acquired, at
the request or direction of the person, by another person at
any time, whether before or after the commencement of this
Act, including consumer goods and consumer durables that
have been consumed or discarded (but not including
necessary food, clothing and other items reasonably
necessary for ordinary daily requirements of life);
(g) anything of monetary value acquired by the person or another
person, in Australia or elsewhere, from the commercial
exploitation of any product or any broadcast, telecast or other
publication, where the commercial value of the product,
broadcast, telecast or other publication depends on or is
derived from the person's involvement in the commission of a
forfeiture offence, whether or not the thing was lawfully
acquired and whether or not the person has been charged
with or convicted of the offence.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 49
71
Unexplained wealth declaration
71 Unexplained wealth declaration
(1) The court that is hearing an application under section 67 must
declare that the respondent has unexplained wealth if it is more
likely than not that the respondent's total wealth is greater than his
or her lawfully acquired wealth.
(2) Any property, service, advantage or benefit that is a constituent of
the respondent's wealth is presumed not to have been lawfully
acquired unless the respondent establishes the contrary.
(3) Without limiting the matters to which a court may have regard in
deciding whether the respondent has unexplained wealth, the court
may have regard to the amount of the respondent's income and
outgoings at any time or at all times.
(4) When a court makes an unexplained wealth declaration, the court
must:
(a) assess the respondent's unexplained wealth in accordance
with section 69; and
(b) specify the assessed value of the unexplained wealth in the
declaration; and
specified in the declaration as the value of his or her
unexplained wealth.
(5) When making an unexplained wealth declaration, the court may
make any necessary or convenient ancillary orders, including
awarding costs as the court sees fit.
72
Unexplained wealth payable to Territory
72 Unexplained wealth payable to Territory
(1) If a court makes an unexplained wealth declaration, the respondent
must pay to the Territory the amount ordered by the court.
(2) The amount payable to the Territory may be satisfied, wholly or in
73
Application for criminal benefit declaration
73 Application for criminal benefit declaration
(1) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for a criminal benefit
declaration against a person.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 50
(2) An application under subsection (1) may be made in conjunction
74
Acquiring criminal benefit
74 Acquiring criminal benefit
(1) For this Act, a person has acquired a criminal benefit if:
(a) any property, service, advantage or benefit that is a
constituent of the person's wealth was directly or indirectly
acquired as a result of the person's involvement in the
commission of a forfeiture offence, (whether or not the
property, service, advantage or benefit was lawfully acquired);
or
(b) the person has been involved in the commission of a forfeiture
offence, and any property, service, advantage or benefit that is
a constituent of the person's wealth was not lawfully acquired,
(whether or not the property, service, advantage or benefit
was acquired as a result of the person's involvement in the
commission of the offence).
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the person has acquired a criminal
benefit:
(a) whether the property, service, advantage or benefit was
acquired before, during or after the forfeiture offence was or is
likely to have been committed; and
(b) whether the property, service, advantage or benefit was
acquired before or after the commencement of this Act; and
(c) whether the forfeiture offence was committed before or after
the commencement of this Act.
75
Criminal benefit declaration – crime-derived property
75 Criminal benefit declaration – crime-derived property
(1) A court that is hearing an application under section 73 must declare
that the respondent has acquired a criminal benefit if it is more
likely than not:
(a) that the property, service, advantage or benefit described in
the application is a constituent of the respondent's wealth; and
(b) that the respondent is or was involved in the commission of a
forfeiture offence; and
(c) that the property, service, advantage or benefit was wholly or
partly derived or realised, directly or indirectly, as a result of
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 51
the respondent's involvement in the commission of the
forfeiture offence (whether or not the property, service,
advantage or benefit was lawfully acquired).
(2) The property, service, advantage or benefit mentioned in
subsection (1) is presumed to have been directly or indirectly
acquired as a result of the respondent's involvement in a forfeiture
offence unless the respondent establishes otherwise.
76
Criminal benefit declaration – unlawfully acquired property
76 Criminal benefit declaration – unlawfully acquired property
(1) A court that is hearing an application under section 73 must declare
that the respondent has acquired a criminal benefit if it is more
likely than not that:
(a) the property, service, advantage or benefit described in the
application is a constituent of the respondent's wealth; and
(b) the property, service, advantage or benefit was not lawfully
acquired.
(2) If the respondent has been convicted or is taken to have been
convicted of a forfeiture offence, or it is more likely than not that the
respondent is or has been involved in the commission of a forfeiture
offence, it is presumed that the property, service, advantage or
benefit was not lawfully acquired unless the respondent establishes
the contrary.
77
Lawful acquisition of property
77 Lawful acquisition of property
(1) Any property, service, advantage or benefit is lawfully acquired only
if:
(a) the property, service, advantage or benefit was itself lawfully
acquired; and
(b) any consideration given for the property, service, advantage or
benefit was lawfully acquired; and
(c) any obligation in relation to the acquisition is or has been met
by lawfully acquired means.
(2) Any property, service, advantage or benefit is not lawfully acquired
if the property, service, advantage or benefit is received as
consideration under a contract, understanding or arrangement by
which premises or services are provided in circumstances where it
is more likely than not that the provider of the premises or services
is aware, or ought to be aware, that the premises or services are
used or intended to be used in relation to the commission of a
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 52
(3) Property that is given to a person as a gift is only lawfully acquired
property in the hands of the recipient if it was lawfully acquired
property in the hands of the donor.
78
Criminal benefit declaration
78 Criminal benefit declaration
(1) When making a criminal benefit declaration, the court must:
(a) assess, in accordance with section 79, the value of the
criminal benefit acquired by the respondent; and
(b) specify in the declaration the assessed value of the criminal
benefit; and
specified in the declaration as the value of the criminal benefit
the respondent has acquired.
(2) A court must not make a criminal benefit declaration in relation to
any property, service, advantage or benefit if:
(a) the property, service, advantage or benefit has been taken
into account when making an unexplained wealth declaration
against the respondent; or
(b) a criminal benefits declaration has already been made in
relation to the property, service, advantage or benefit; or
(c) the property, service, advantage or benefit (or its value) has
been forfeited under this Act or any other Act.
(3) When making a criminal benefit declaration, the court may make
any necessary or convenient ancillary orders, including awarding
costs as the court sees fit.
79
Assessing the value of criminal benefit
79 Assessing the value of criminal benefit
When assessing the value of a criminal benefit for section 78(1):
(a) the value of any property, service, advantage or benefit
acquired by the respondent is taken to be the greater of:
(ii) its value on the day that the application for the criminal
benefits declaration was made; and
(b) the value of any property, service, advantage or benefit that
was acquired by the respondent but has been given away,
used, consumed or discarded, or that is for any other reason
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 53
no longer available when the application for the declaration
was made, is taken to be the greater of:
(ii) its value at the time that it was given away, or was used,
consumed or discarded, or stopped being available.
80
Criminal benefits payable to Territory
80 Criminal benefits payable to Territory
(1) If a court makes a criminal benefit declaration, the respondent must
pay to the Territory the amount ordered by the court.
(2) The amount payable to the Territory may be satisfied, wholly or in
81
Application for crime-used property substitution declaration
81 Application for crime-used property substitution declaration
(1) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for a crime-used
property substitution declaration against a person.
(2) On hearing an application under subsection (1), the court must
declare that property of equivalent value owned or effectively
controlled by the respondent is to be substituted for crime-used
property if:
(a) it is more likely than not that the respondent has made
criminal use of property so that the property is crime-used;
and
(b) the crime-used property is not amenable to a restraining order
or forfeiture under this Act for a reason or reasons mentioned
in section 82.
(3) An application under subsection (1) may be made in conjunction
(4) If the court makes a declaration under this section, the court must:
(a) assess the value of the crime-used property in accordance
with section 85; and
(b) specify the assessed value of the crime-used property in the
declaration; and
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 54
specified in the declaration as the value of the crime-used
(5) Crime-used property substitution declarations can be made against
2 or more respondents in respect of the same crime-used property,
whether or not the applications for the respective declarations are
heard in the same proceedings.
(6) If a court makes a declaration under this section, the court may
make any necessary or convenient ancillary orders, including
awarding costs as the court sees fit.
82
Crime-used property not available
82 Crime-used property not available
For section 81, crime-used property is not available for forfeiture if:
(a) at the time the property became crime-used, the respondent:
(i) had a legal or equitable interest in the property through
an agreement granted by another person who is an
(ii) had a right of occupancy, use or possession of the
property through an agreement granted by another
person who is an innocent party in relation to the
property; or
(iii) did not have effective control of the property; or
(b) the property was or is owned or effectively controlled by the
respondent, and was or is restrained, but the restraining order
has been or is to be set aside under section 63(1)(a) in favour
of a spouse, de facto partner or dependant of the respondent;
or
(c) the property has been sold or otherwise disposed of, or cannot
for any other reason be found for the purposes of this Act.
83
Burden of proof
83 Burden of proof
(1) If the respondent has been convicted of the relevant forfeiture
offence in respect of which property was used so that the property
became crime-used, it is presumed that the respondent made
criminal use of the property unless the respondent establishes the
contrary.
(2) If the respondent has not been convicted of the relevant forfeiture
offence but the applicant establishes that it is more likely than not
that crime-used property was in the respondent's possession at the
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 55
time that the offence was committed or immediately afterwards, it is
presumed that the respondent made criminal use of the property
unless the respondent establishes the contrary.
(3) In any circumstances except those set out in subsection (1) or (2),
the applicant bears the onus of establishing that the respondent
made criminal use of the property.
84
Criminal use of property
84 Criminal use of property
For this Act, a person makes criminal use of property if the person,
alone or with anyone else (who need not be identified), uses or
intends to use the property in a way that brings the property within
the definition of crime-used property.
85
Assessing the value of crime-used property
85 Assessing the value of crime-used property
(1) When assessing the value of crime-used property for making a
crime-used property substitution order, the value of the property is
taken to be its value at the time that the relevant forfeiture offence
was or is likely to have been committed.
(2) The value of the crime-used property is taken to be its full value
even if the respondent did not outlay any amount for obtaining or
making criminal use of the property or did not outlay an amount
equal to its full value for that purpose.
(3) In this section, the value of crime-used property is the freehold
value of real property, or the full value of other property, and not the
value of an interest in the property under an agreement.
86
Substituted property payable to Territory
86 Substituted property payable to Territory
(1) If a court makes a crime-used property substitution declaration
under section 81, the respondent must pay to the Territory the
amount ordered by the court.
(2) If a crime-used property substitution declaration is made against
2 or more respondents in respect of the same crime-used property,
the respondents are jointly and severally liable to pay to the
Territory the amount ordered by the court.
(3) The amount payable to the Territory may be satisfied, wholly or in
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 56
87
Recovery of amount payable to Territory
87 Recovery of amount payable to Territory
(1) The amount payable under section 72, 80 or 86 by a respondent to
the Territory is payable to the Fines Recovery Unit within one
month after the date on which the relevant declaration was made.
(2) If part or all of the amount payable to the Territory is not paid within
the time specified in subsection (1), the unpaid amount is
recoverable from the respondent by the Territory under the Fines
and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001.
(3) This section does not affect any other means by which the Territory
may recover any unpaid amount of a person's liability under this
Act.
88
Use of restrained property to meet liability
88 Use of restrained property to meet liability
(1) A person who is liable under Part 6 to pay an amount to the
Territory may transfer property (whether or not the property is
subject to a restraining order under this Act) to the Territory to
satisfy the liability wholly or in part.
(2) If part or all of the amount payable to the Territory is not paid within
the time specified in section 87(1), any property that is subject to a
restraining order under this Act and that is owned or effectively
controlled by the person liable to the Territory is available for
satisfying the person's liability to the extent possible.
89
Proceeds from sale of restrained property
89 Proceeds from sale of restrained property
If property that is subject to a restraining order is sold, the proceeds
of the sale are available and may be forfeited under this Act:
(a) to satisfy a person's liability under Part 6; or
(b) if the property is ordered to be forfeited under section 96
or 97 – as if the proceeds were the property that has been
sold.
90
Nexus between restraint and forfeiture not necessary
90 Nexus between restraint and forfeiture not necessary
Property that is restrained under this Act is liable to forfeiture to
satisfy an order under this Part despite that the grounds for the
forfeiture order may be different to the grounds on which the
restraining order was made.
Division 2 Use of effectively controlled property or gift to meet liability
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 57
Division 2 Use of effectively controlled property or gift to
meet liability
91 Forfeitable property declaration
(1) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for a forfeitable property
declaration.
(2) An application under subsection (1) may be made in the course of
proceedings under Part 6, Division 1 for an unexplained wealth
declaration, under Part 6, Division 2 for a criminal benefits
declaration, under Part 6, Division 3 for a crime-used property
substitution declaration, or at any other time.
92
Property not owned by respondent available for forfeiture
92 Property not owned by respondent available for forfeiture
(1) The court that is hearing an application under section 91 may
declare that property specified in the application that is not owned
by the respondent is available for forfeiture under this Part (whether
or not the property is subject to a restraining order under this Act) to
satisfy the respondent's liability to the Territory under Part 6 if it is
more likely than not:
(a) that the respondent effectively controlled the property at the
time that the application was made for a declaration under
Part 6; or
(b) that the respondent had given the property away at a time
before the application was made for a declaration under
Part 6.
(2) The property mentioned in subsection (1) is presumed to have been
effectively controlled by the respondent or to have been given away
by the respondent at the material time unless the respondent
establishes the contrary.
(3) If a court makes a declaration under this section, the court may
make any necessary or convenient ancillary orders.
93
Limitation on forfeiture of effectively controlled property
93 Limitation on forfeiture of effectively controlled property
Property that is:
(a) the subject of a forfeitable property declaration; or
(b) the subject of a restraining order on the grounds of being
effectively controlled by a person who is liable under Part 6 to
pay an amount to the Territory;
Subdivision B Crime-used property and crime-derived property
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 58
is only to be called upon to satisfy the person's liability to the extent
that property owned by the person is not available or is insufficient
to satisfy the liability.
Subdivision A Property of declared drug trafficker
94
Forfeiture of declared drug trafficker's property
94 Forfeiture of declared drug trafficker's property
(1) If a person is declared to be a drug trafficker under section 36A of
the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990:
(a) all property subject to a restraining order that is owned or
effectively controlled by the person; and
(b) all property that was given away by the person, whether
before or after the commencement of this Act;
is forfeited to the Territory.
(2) Subsection (1) applies also to a person who is taken under
section 8 to be a declared drug trafficker.
(3) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for a declaration that
property has been forfeited by operation of this section.
(4) If the court that is hearing an application under subsection (3) finds
that property specified in the application has been forfeited to the
Territory by operation of this section, the court must make a
declaration to that effect.
Subdivision B Crime-used property and crime-derived property
95
Application for forfeiture order
95 Application for forfeiture order
(1) A police officer or the DPP may apply to the Local Court for an
order under this Subdivision in respect of property that was
restrained under section 43(1).
(2) The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for an order under this
Subdivision.
(3) If an application under this section is for an order under section 96
or 97:
(a) the application is not to be made until after the objection
period has expired for any persons served with a copy of the
relevant restraining order under section 47(1) or (3); and
Subdivision C Criminal benefits, unexplained wealth and substituted property
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 59
(b) the court to which the application is made must not hear the
application until any objection under Part 5 by a person
mentioned in paragraph (a) has been heard and determined.
(4) If an objection under Part 5 is lodged by a person who was not
served with a copy of the relevant restraining order under
section 47(1) or (3), the court that is hearing an application under
this section may stay or adjourn the hearing until the objection is
determined.
(5) An application for an order under section 97 cannot be made if the
property has been taken into account for a criminal benefits
declaration under section 75.
(6) In this section, an objection is taken to have been heard and
determined if it is withdrawn, discontinued or otherwise lapses
through want of prosecution.
96
Crime-used property
96 Crime-used property
(1) A court that is hearing an application under section 95 in relation to
property restrained on suspicion the property was crime-used must
order that the property is forfeit to the Territory if the court is
satisfied that it is more likely than not that the property is crime-
used.
(2) A court must order forfeiture of property under subsection (1)
despite that no person has been identified as the owner or
controller of the property.
97
Crime-derived property
97 Crime-derived property
A court that is hearing an application under section 95 in relation to
property restrained on suspicion the property was crime-derived
must order that the property is forfeit to the Territory if the court is
satisfied that it is more likely than not that the property is crime-
derived.
Subdivision C Criminal benefits, unexplained wealth and
substituted property
98
DPP may apply for forfeiture order
98 DPP may apply for forfeiture order
The DPP may apply to the Supreme Court for an order under this
Subdivision that property is forfeit to the Territory.
99
Criminal benefit
99 Criminal benefit
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 60
a criminal benefit declaration has been made under section 75
against the person who owned or effectively controlled the
restrained property at the time the restraining order was made.
100
Unexplained wealth
100 Unexplained wealth
an unexplained wealth declaration has been made under section 71
against the person who owned or effectively controlled the
restrained property at the time the restraining order was made.
101
Substituted property
101 Substituted property
a crime-used property substitution declaration has been made
under section 81 against the person who owned or effectively
controlled the restrained property at the time the restraining order
was made.
102
Notice of forfeiture of land or other registrable property
102 Notice of forfeiture of land or other registrable property
(1) If a court declares or orders under this Division that land has been
forfeited, the DPP must lodge an instrument to that effect with the
Registrar-General.
(2) If a court declares or orders under this Division that property that is
registrable under an Act other than the Land Title Act 2000 has
been forfeited, the DPP must lodge with the appropriate registrar:
(a) a copy of the declaration or order; and
(b) a notice giving particulars of the forfeiture.
103
Value of property sold by Territory
103 Value of property sold by Territory
(1) If forfeited property is sold by or for the Territory under this Act, the
value of the property is taken to be the remainder (if any) of the
proceeds of the sale after the proceeds are applied to the following:
(a) firstly, the costs, charges and expenses arising from the sale;
(b) secondly, if a restraining order is or was in force for the
property – expenses incurred by the Territory or a person
appointed to manage the property while the order was in
force;
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 61
(c) thirdly, any expenses incurred by the Territory or a person
appointed to manage the property after it was forfeited;
(d) fourthly, any bona fide charges or other encumbrances on the
(2) If the property is security for a mortgage that is also secured by
other property then, despite any other Act and any inconsistent
term of the mortgage, the extent of the security in relation to the
sold property is the proportion that the value of the sold property
bore to the total value of all the properties securing the mortgage at
the time that the mortgage was entered into.
104
Variation of declarations and orders
104 Variation of declarations and orders
The DPP may at any time apply to the court that made a
declaration or order under this Part for a variation of the declaration
or order, or for a further declaration or order, to give effect or to give
better effect, to the previous declaration or order.
Part 8
Management of seized, restrained and forfeited
Part 8 Management of seized, restrained and forfeited
105
Management of seized property
105 Management of seized property
The Commissioner of Police has responsibility for the control and
management of property seized under a warrant under section 34
or under section 39(1).
106
Management of restrained or forfeited property
106 Management of restrained or forfeited property
(1) The Public Trustee has responsibility for the control and
management of property that is subject to a restraining order unless
a court otherwise orders under section 46(1)(c) or 109(2).
(2) The Public Trustee has responsibility for the control and
management of forfeited property until it is disposed of.
(3) The Public Trustee may appoint a person who owns property that is
subject to a restraining order to manage the property.
107
Financial institution to transfer restrained funds to Public
107 Financial institution to transfer restrained funds to Public
Trustee
(1) A financial institution that is holding in an account funds that are
restrained under this Act must, on demand by the Public Trustee,
transfer the restrained funds to the Public Trustee.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 62
(2) The Public Trustee must hold on trust any funds received under this
section and deal with the funds in accordance with the Public
Trustee Act 1979.
108
Public Trustee's capacity to carry out transactions
108 Public Trustee's capacity to carry out transactions
Property that is the responsibility of the Public Trustee under
section 106 is subject to the provisions of Part VIII of the Public
Trustee Act 1979 (except sections 59, 60(1)(b), 66, 67 and 67A) as
if the Public Trustee had been appointed as manager of the
property by the Supreme Court under section 59 of that Act.
109
Applications by owner for control and management
109 Applications by owner for control and management
(1) An owner of restrained property may apply to the court that made
the relevant restraining order for an order under subsection (2) in
relation to the property.
(2) The court that is hearing an application under subsection (1) may, if
it thinks fit, by order appoint the person:
(a) to control and manage the property while the restraining order
is in force; or
(b) to sell or destroy the property.
(3) If restrained property is sold in accordance with an order under
subsection (2), the proceeds of the sale are taken to be restrained
property that is subject to the restraining order made in respect of
the sold property and must be transferred to the Public Trustee.
110
Duties of responsible person
110 Duties of responsible person
A person who has responsibility for the control or management of
property under this Act or an order under this Act must take
reasonable steps to ensure that the property is appropriately stored
or managed, and that it is appropriately maintained, until one of the
following happens in accordance with this Act:
(a) the property is returned to the person from whom it was seized
or to a person who owns it;
(b) another person becomes responsible for the control and
management of the property;
(c) the property is sold or destroyed;
(d) the property is otherwise disposed of.
Division 2 Disposal of deteriorating or undesirable property
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 63
Division 2 Disposal of deteriorating or undesirable property
111 Destruction of property on grounds of public interest
(1) A person who has responsibility for the control or management of
seized, restrained or forfeited property may apply to the court that
made the relevant order (or, for seized property, the court that has
jurisdiction under section 135) for an order under subsection (2)
that the property be destroyed.
(2) The court that is hearing an application under subsection (1) may
order that the property is to be destroyed if it would not be in the
public interest to preserve the property.
112
Sale of deteriorating property
112 Sale of deteriorating property
(1) A person who has responsibility for the control or management of
restrained property may apply to the court that made the relevant
restraining order for an order under subsection (2) that the property
be sold.
(2) The court that is hearing an application under subsection (1) may
order that the property is to be sold if it is more likely than not that:
(a) the property is or will be subject to substantial waste or loss of
value if it is retained until it is dealt with under another
provision of this Act; or
(b) the cost of managing or protecting the property will exceed the
value of the property if it is retained until it is dealt with under
another provision of this Act.
(3) If the Public Trustee has the control or management of property that
is restrained under this Act and is not land, the Public Trustee may
sell the property for and on behalf of the Territory in the
circumstances mentioned in subsection (2) without obtaining a
court order under that subsection if the Minister approves the sale
in the circumstances.
(4) Subsections (2) and (3) apply also to property where, despite that
the market value of the property may not be diminishing, interest
charges or the like are resulting in or are likely to result in a
diminishing realisable equity in the property.
(5) If restrained property is sold under an order under subsection (2) or
under subsection (3) the proceeds of the sale are taken to be
restrained property that is subject to the restraining order made in
respect of the sold property.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 64
(6) If restrained property that is land is sold under an order under
subsection (2), a copy of the order is to be lodged with the
Registrar-General by the applicant for the order.
113
Valuation and inventory of restrained property
113 Valuation and inventory of restrained property
A person who has the control or management of restrained property
under this Act:
(a) may do either or both of the following:
(i) arrange for the property to be valued by an appropriately
qualified person;
(ii) arrange for an inventory to be taken of any fittings,
fixtures or moveable goods in, on or comprising the
(b) must, if an inventory is taken under paragraph (a)(ii), arrange
for a copy of the inventory to be served on each person on
whom a copy of the restraining order was served under
section 47.
114
Public Trustee's power to appoint manager
114 Public Trustee's power to appoint manager
If the Public Trustee has responsibility under this Act for the control
or management of property, the Public Trustee may appoint a
person to perform all or any of the Public Trustee's functions in
relation to the property.
115
Public Trustee's liability for charges on restrained property
115 Public Trustee's liability for charges on restrained property
(1) If Territory taxes imposed on restrained or forfeited property fall due
while the property is under the control or management of the Public
Trustee, the Public Trustee is liable for the taxes only to the extent
of any rents and profits received by the Public Trustee in respect of
the property.
(2) If the property is a business, the Public Trustee is not liable for:
(a) any payment in respect of long service leave for which the
business or the owner of the business is liable; or
(b) any payment in respect of long service leave to which a
person appointed by the Public Trustee to manage the
business, or the legal personal representative of such a
person, becomes entitled as a result of managing the
business after the date of the restraining order.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 65
116
Managing interstate property
116 Managing interstate property
(1) The Public Trustee may make an agreement for the management
of property restrained under a registered interstate restraining order
with a person who is required under the order to take control of the
(2) The Public Trustee may perform, in accordance with an agreement
mentioned in subsection (1), the same functions in relation to
property restrained under a registered interstate restraining order
as the person who is required under the order to take control of the
property would be able to perform if the property were in the State
or other Territory in which the order was made.
117
Fees payable to Public Trustee
117 Fees payable to Public Trustee
The Public Trustee is entitled to receive the fees prescribed by or
under the Public Trustee Act 1979 for performing its functions under
this Act in relation to restrained or forfeited property.
118
Obstructing Public Trustee
118 Obstructing Public Trustee
A person must not hinder or obstruct the Public Trustee or a Deputy
Public Trustee, or an officer, servant or agent of the Public Trustee,
in exercising the functions of the Public Trustee under this Act.
119
Application for release of forfeited property
119 Application for release of forfeited property
(1) A person may apply to the court that ordered the forfeiture of
property under Part 7, Division 3 for the release of the property.
(2) The application must be made within 28 days after the person
became aware, or can reasonably be expected to have become
aware, that the property has been forfeited.
120
Parties to proceedings
120 Parties to proceedings
The Territory is a party to proceedings on an application under
section 119.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 66
121
Order to release forfeited property
121 Order to release forfeited property
(1) The court that is hearing an application under section 119 may
order the release of any property if the applicant establishes that:
(a) immediately before the property was forfeited, the applicant
was the owner of the property or was one of 2 or more owners
of the property; and
(b) the property was not effectively controlled by a person who
made criminal use of the property or who wholly or partly
derived or realised the property, directly or indirectly, from the
commission of a forfeiture offence; and
(c) the applicant was not aware and could not reasonably be
expected to have become aware, until after the property was
forfeited, that the property was liable to forfeiture under Part 7,
Division 3; and
(d) the applicant is an innocent party in relation to the property;
and
(e) each other owner (if there are more than one) is an innocent
party in relation to the property.
(2) If a court orders the release of property under this section:
(a) if the property is money – the money is to be paid to the
applicant; and
(b) if the property is not money and has not been disposed of –
the property is to be given to the applicant; and
(c) if the property is not money and has been sold – the proceeds
of the sale are to be paid to the applicant.
(3) If the applicant fails to establish for subsection (1) that each other
owner is an innocent party, the court may order the release of the
applicant's share of the property.
(4) In an order under subsection (3), the court must specify:
(a) the proportion that it finds to be the applicant's share of the
Div 1
Registration of Territory orders in other jurisdictions
Division 1 Registration of Territory orders in other jurisdictions
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 67
(5) If the court makes an order under subsection (3), the applicant is to
receive:
(a) if the property is money – the applicant's share of the money;
and
(b) if the property is not money, has not been disposed of and is
divisible – the applicant's share of the property; and
(c) if the property is not money and is not divisible or has been
disposed of – the amount of money that represents the
applicant's share of the proceeds from the sale of the property
(when sold).
(6) If the applicant is entitled to the release of a share of forfeited
property that is not money, is not divisible and has not been
disposed of, the court may order that the property is to be given to
the applicant if the court also orders that the applicant pay to the
Territory the value of the share of the property that the court finds is
attributable to the owner or owners who are not innocent parties.
(7) If a court makes an order under this section, the court may make
any necessary or convenient ancillary orders.
Part 10 Mutual recognition of restraining orders and
forfeiture orders
Division 1 Registration of Territory orders in other
jurisdictions
122 Interstate registration of restraining orders
(1) If a corresponding law of a State or another Territory of the
Commonwealth provides for the registration and enforcement in the
State or Territory of a restraining order, forfeiture order or other
order under this Act, the order may be expressed to apply to
property in the State or Territory.
(2) An order expressed in accordance with subsection (1) to apply to
property in a State or another Territory of the Commonwealth may
be registered under the law of that State or Territory.
(3) An order registered in accordance with subsection (2) has effect in
the State or Territory to the extent provided by the law of the State
or Territory.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 68
(4) If the property to which an order relates is movable property, the
order has effect in the State or Territory to the extent that:
(a) the property was located in the State or Territory when the
order was registered; and
(b) the property:
(i) remains located in the State or Territory; or
(ii) having been moved from the State or Territory – is once
again located in the State or Territory.
123
Registration of interstate restraining order
123 Registration of interstate restraining order
(1) If an interstate restraining order expressly applies to property that is
in the Territory, the order may be registered under this Act.
(2) An interstate restraining order is registered under this Act when a
copy of the order, sealed by the court that made the order, is
registered in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court.
(3) Any amendments made to an interstate restraining order may be
registered in the same way, whether the amendments were made
before or after the registration of the original order, but the
amendments are of no effect until they are registered.
(4) An application for registration may be made by the applicant in
relation to the interstate order or amendments, by the DPP, or by
any person affected by the order or amendments.
(5) If an interstate restraining order that relates to land in the Territory
(or an amendment to such an order) is registered under this
section:
(a) the applicant for registration must lodge an instrument,
together with a copy of the interstate restraining order or
amendment, with the Registrar-General; and
(b) the instrument has effect as a memorandum mentioned in
section 35 of the Land Title Act 2000 and is taken to be lodged
by the appropriate Minister; and
(c) the registered interstate restraining order or amendment takes
effect in relation to the land when the instrument is registered
under the Land Title Act 2000 and the Registrar-General
enters a statutory restrictions notice in the land register.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 69
(6) If an interstate restraining order that relates to property in the
Territory that is registrable under an Act other than the Land Title
Act 2000 (or an amendment of such an order) is registered under
this section:
(a) the applicant for registration of the order or amendment; or
must lodge with the appropriate registrar a notice giving particulars
of the forfeiture and a copy of the order or amendment.
124
Effect of registration of interstate restraining order
124 Effect of registration of interstate restraining order
(1) A registered interstate restraining order may be enforced in the
Territory as if the order had been made under section 43 or 44.
(2) This Act (except sections 41 and 47) applies to a registered
interstate restraining order as if the order had been made under
section 43 or 44.
125
Duration of registration of interstate restraining order
125 Duration of registration of interstate restraining order
A registered interstate restraining order is enforceable in the
Territory under this Act unless its registration is cancelled under
section 126, despite that the order has already ceased to be in
force under the law of the State or Territory under which the order
was made.
126
Cancellation of registration of interstate restraining order
126 Cancellation of registration of interstate restraining order
(1) The Supreme Court may cancel the registration of an interstate
(a) registration was improperly obtained; or
(b) the order ceases to be in force under the law of the
Commonwealth, or of the State or Territory, under which the
order was made.
(2) An application for the cancellation of the registration may be made
by the person who applied for the registration, by the DPP, or by a
person affected by the order.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 70
(3) If the registration of an interstate restraining order is cancelled
under subsection (1) and the order relates wholly or in part to land:
(a) the applicant in relation to the cancellation must lodge an
instrument with the Registrar-General advising that the
registration order has been cancelled; and
(b) the restraining order only ceases to have effect in relation to
the land when the instrument mentioned in paragraph (a) is
registered under the Land Title Act 2000 and the statutory
restrictions notice is removed from the land register.
127
Registration of interstate forfeiture order
127 Registration of interstate forfeiture order
(1) If an interstate forfeiture order expressly applies to property that is
in the Territory, the order may be registered under this Act.
(2) An interstate forfeiture order is registered under this Act when a
copy of the order, sealed by the court that made the order, is
registered in accordance with the rules of the Supreme Court.
(3) Any amendments made to an interstate forfeiture order may be
registered in the same way, whether the amendments were made
before or after the registration of the original order, but the
amendments are of no effect until they are registered.
(4) An application for registration may be made by the applicant in
relation to the interstate order or amendments, by the DPP, or by
any person affected by the order or amendments.
(5) If an interstate forfeiture order that relates to land in the Territory (or
an amendment to such an order) is registered under this section:
(a) the applicant for registration of the interstate order or
amendment; or
must lodge an instrument to that effect, together with a copy of the
interstate forfeiture order or amended order, with the Registrar-
General.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 71
(6) If an interstate forfeiture order that relates to property in the
Territory that is registrable under an Act other than the Land Title
Act 2000 (or an amendment of such an order) is registered under
this section:
(a) the applicant for registration of the order or amendment; or
must lodge with the appropriate registrar a notice giving particulars
of the forfeiture and a copy of the order or amendment.
128
Effect of registration of interstate forfeiture orders
128 Effect of registration of interstate forfeiture orders
(1) A registered interstate forfeiture order may be enforced in the
Territory as if the property to which it relates had been forfeited
under Part 7, Division 3.
(2) If a registered interstate forfeiture order is enforced in the Territory
under this Act, the forfeited property vests in the Territory.
(3) Property cannot vest in the Territory under subsection (2) if the
property subject to the registered interstate forfeiture order has
already vested in the Commonwealth, a State or another Territory,
or in some other person or entity.
129
Duration of registration of interstate forfeiture order
129 Duration of registration of interstate forfeiture order
A registered interstate forfeiture order is enforceable in the Territory
under this Act unless its registration is cancelled under section 130,
despite that the order has already ceased to be in force under the
law of the Commonwealth, or of the State or Territory, under which
the order was made.
130
Cancellation of registration of interstate forfeiture order
130 Cancellation of registration of interstate forfeiture order
(1) The Supreme Court may cancel the registration of an interstate
forfeiture order if:
(a) registration was improperly obtained; or
(b) the order ceases to be in force under the law of the
Commonwealth, or of the State or Territory, under which the
order was made.
(2) An application for the cancellation of the registration may be made
by the person who applied for the registration, by the DPP, or by a
person affected by the order.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 72
(3) If the registration of an interstate forfeiture order is cancelled under
subsection (1) and the order relates wholly or in part to land:
(a) the applicant in relation to the cancellation must lodge an
instrument with the Registrar-General advising that the
registration of the order has been cancelled; and
(b) the forfeiture order only ceases to have effect in relation to the
land when the instrument mentioned in paragraph (a) is
registered under the Land Title Act 2000 and the Registrar-
General has made the appropriate amendments to the land
register.
Part 10A
National cooperative scheme on unexplained
Part 10A National cooperative scheme on unexplained
wealth
130A
Definitions
130A Definitions
In this Part:
CJC means the Cooperating Jurisdiction Committee established
under the Intergovernmental Agreement and consisting of
representatives from each participating jurisdiction.
CJC subcommittee, see section 130H(1)(b).
confiscation includes forfeiture.
contributing jurisdiction means any of the following that make a
contribution for the purposes of the NCS:
(a) the Commonwealth;
(b) a participating State;
(c) a cooperating State;
(d) the Australian Capital Territory.
contribution, for the NCS, see section 130B.
cooperating State, see section 14F of the Proceeds of Crime
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 73
corresponding law means a law of the Territory that is declared by
the Proceeds of Crime Regulations 2019 (Cth) to be a law that
corresponds to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth).
corresponding proceeds, for the NCS, means an amount that:
(a) is paid to the Territory under a corresponding law; and
(b) corresponds to, or is similar to, an amount that is proceeds of
confiscated assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
(Cth) and is paid in relation to a relevant application or a
relevant order.
decision-making period means the 6 month period after the
Territory notifies the CJC of a matter mentioned in section 130G.
foreign jurisdiction means a jurisdiction outside Australia.
forfeiting jurisdiction, for the NCS, means the jurisdiction that:
(a) obtains a final order in relation to proceeds of confiscated
assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) or
corresponding proceeds of a State or Territory; or
(b) enters into a negotiated settlement, or receives any other
amount, in relation to proceeds mentioned in paragraph (a).
forfeiture action means a proceeding in relation to a relevant
application or a relevant order.
forfeiture proceeds means proceeds arising from a forfeiture
action that are paid or payable to the Territory under a relevant
order.
Intergovernmental Agreement means the Intergovernmental
Agreement on the National Cooperative Scheme on Unexplained
Wealth, as in force from time to time.
NCS means the National Cooperative Scheme on Unexplained
Wealth established by the Intergovernmental Agreement and
entered into by the Territory on 7 December 2018.
NCS threshold means:
(a) $100 000; or
(b) if another amount is prescribed by regulation – that other
amount.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 74
participating jurisdiction means the following:
(a) the Territory;
(b) a participating State;
(c) the Australian Capital Territory.
participating State, see section 14C of the Proceeds of Crime
payment period, for the NCS, means 6 months from the date of
realisation of the assets in their entirety, or when the maximum
amount likely to be realised from a final order or negotiated
settlement has been realised, whichever is the later.
relevant application means:
(a) an application for a declaration under section 36A of the
Misuse of Drugs Act 1990 that a person is a drug trafficker; or
(b) an application prescribed by regulation for this definition.
relevant order, see section 130C.
shareable proceeds, see section 130D.
unexplained wealth means property or wealth that might not have
been lawfully acquired.
130B
Making a contribution for the NCS
130B Making a contribution for the NCS
A jurisdiction is taken to make a contribution for the NCS in the
following circumstances:
(a) the jurisdiction has made a contribution including but not
limited to:
(i) the provision of specific intelligence of relevance to the
confiscation action, investigation action, a criminal or
civil proceeding, restraining assets for the purposes of
an application, holding and managing restrained assets
or recovering the debt created by the order; or
(ii) securing, or contributing to the securing of, a conviction
that can be considered to have contributed to the
confiscation action and the recovery of proceeds;
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 75
(b) the Commonwealth has relied on an offence of that jurisdiction
in an unexplained wealth matter (whether or not it has also
relied on a Commonwealth offence or an offence of another
jurisdiction).
130C
Meaning of relevant order
130C Meaning of relevant order
A relevant order is any of the following:
(a) a restraining order under section 44(1)(b)(ii);
(b) a declaration of forfeiture under section 94;
(c) a forfeiture order under section 97 or 100;
(d) an order prescribed by regulation for this section.
130D
Meaning of shareable proceeds
130D Meaning of shareable proceeds
Forfeiture proceeds are shareable proceeds for the NCS if:
(a) the proceeds are:
(i) for the Commonwealth – proceeds of confiscated assets
under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth) paid to the
Commonwealth in relation to an order or a proceeding of
the kind described in Appendix B of the
Intergovernmental Agreement; or
(b) for non-Commonwealth parties – corresponding
proceeds of a State or Territory; and
(b) the amount specified in the relevant application or relevant
order, as part of a negotiated settlement, or that is otherwise
forfeited under a corresponding law, exceeds the NCS
threshold (whether or not the full amount is realised).
Note for section 130D
If the full amount mentioned in paragraph (b) is not realised, and the amount
realised is less than or equal to the NCS threshold, the proceeds are still
shareable.
130E
Application of Part
130E Application of Part
This Part applies if:
(a) a relevant application is made and the amount of shareable
proceeds involved exceeds the NCS threshold; or
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 76
(b) a court makes a relevant order and the amount of shareable
proceeds involved exceeds the NCS threshold; or
(c) a payment is made to the Territory in relation to a relevant
application mentioned in paragraph (a) or a relevant order
mentioned in paragraph (b).
130F
Territory representative on CJC
130F Territory representative on CJC
The Commissioner of Police may from time to time nominate a
person to be the Territory representative on the CJC.
130G
Territory to notify CJC
130G Territory to notify CJC
(1) The Territory must notify the CJC when:
(a) a relevant application is made and the amount involved
exceeds the NCS threshold; or
(b) a court makes a relevant order and the amount involved
exceeds the NCS threshold; or
(c) shareable proceeds are received by the Territory in relation to
a relevant application mentioned in paragraph (a) or a relevant
order mentioned in paragraph (b), whether or not the realised
shareable proceeds exceed the NCS threshold.
(2) The notice must:
(a) be in writing; and
(b) be given within 60 days after the application or order is made
or shareable proceeds are received; and
(c) provide sufficient information to allow participating jurisdictions
to identify whether they may have contributed to the
application or order.
Examples for subsection (2)(c)
The name of the person against whom a proceeding was brought, the name of
the person from whom money was recovered, the name of the police operation,
the amount of money recovered, any known contribution by a participating
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 77
(3) Despite subsection (1), the Territory need not notify the CJC in the
following circumstances:
(a) the Commissioner of Police determines that the matter is not,
and will not become, a cross-jurisdictional matter;
(b) the Commissioner of Police is satisfied that the matter will not
give rise to operational inconsistencies with another
(4) In addition, the Territory must notify the CJC within 30 days after
any of the following happens:
(a) a CJC subcommittee decides that a non-cooperating State
made a contribution in relation to a matter and what (if any)
proportion of realised shareable proceeds is to be paid to that
jurisdiction;
(b) a CJC subcommittee decides to alter the presumption of equal
shares and, if so, what (if any) proportion of realised shareable
proceeds is to be paid to each jurisdiction involved;
(c) the shareable proceeds are realised in their entirety, or a
maximum amount from a final order, negotiated settlement or
other forfeiture has been realised;
(d) the Territory:
(i) receives payment of funds as shareable proceeds from a
forfeiting jurisdiction; or
(ii) makes payment of shareable proceeds to a contributing
130H
CJC subcommittee
130H CJC subcommittee
(1) Within the decision-making period after the Territory notifies the
CJC of a matter in accordance with section 130G(1), the CJC must:
(a) determine whether the Commonwealth, a participating
jurisdiction or a cooperating State made a contribution in
relation to the forfeiture action; and
(b) form a CJC subcommittee comprising the Territory
representative on the CJC and a representative of each
jurisdiction determined by the CJC to have made a
contribution as mentioned is paragraph (a).
(2) A determination mentioned in subsection (1) must be unanimous.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 78
130J
Sharing among contributing jurisdictions
130J Sharing among contributing jurisdictions
(1) There is a presumption that each contributing jurisdiction and the
forfeiting jurisdiction share the net realised proceeds of a forfeiture
action in equal proportions.
(2) However, the CJC subcommittee must, within the decision-making
period, determine whether the presumed proportions mentioned in
subsection (1) are appropriate in each forfeiture action and, if not,
what are the appropriate proportions of each share.
(3) A determination mentioned in subsection (2) must be unanimous.
(4) If a unanimous determination is not achieved, the presumption of
sharing in equal proportions prevails.
(5) In this section:
net realised proceeds means the remainder of the realised
proceeds after payments in accordance with sections 130K and
130L are taken into account.
130K
Contribution by certain other jurisdictions
130K Contribution by certain other jurisdictions
(1) The CJC subcommittee must, within the decision-making period,
determine whether a non-participating non-cooperating jurisdiction
has made a contribution in relation to the forfeiture action for which
the subcommittee was formed.
(2) A determination mentioned in subsection (1) must be unanimous.
(3) If a unanimous determination is not achieved in relation to a
jurisdiction, that jurisdiction is taken not to have made a contribution
in relation to that forfeiture action.
(4) If the subcommittee determines that a non-participating
non-cooperating jurisdiction has made a contribution in relation to
the forfeiture action, the subcommittee must determine the
appropriate proportion of the shareable proceeds that is payable to
the jurisdiction.
Note for subsection (4)
The Territory must notify the CJC of the subcommittee's determinations within
30 days after the determination is made – see section 130G(4)(a).
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 79
(5) The Commissioner of Police must notify the Minister of the
subcommittee's determination as soon as practicable after the
determination is made.
(6) In this section:
non-participating non-cooperating jurisdiction means a State
that:
(a) is not a participating State; and
(b) is not a cooperating State.
130L
Contribution by foreign jurisdiction
130L Contribution by foreign jurisdiction
(1) The Commissioner of Police must, within the decision-making
period:
(a) advise the Minister if, in the Commissioner's opinion, a foreign
jurisdiction may have made a contribution in relation to a
forfeiture action; and
(b) provide the Minister with the information necessary for the
Minister to make a determination under subsection (2).
(2) If the Minister receives advice in accordance with subsection (1),
the Minister must determine whether the foreign jurisdiction has
made a contribution in relation to the forfeiture action and, if so, the
appropriate proportion of the shareable proceeds that is payable to
the foreign jurisdiction.
(3) The Minister must give the Commissioner of Police written notice of
a determination under subsection (2).
(4) The Commissioner of Police must advise the CJC of the Minister's
determination.
130M
Proportions may be determined before proceeds realised
130M Proportions may be determined before proceeds realised
Both the CJC subcommittee and the Minister may make
determinations under this Division in relation to the proportions of
forfeiture proceeds to be shared by jurisdictions whether or not the
forfeiture proceeds have been fully realised.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 80
130N
Payments out of realised proceeds
130N Payments out of realised proceeds
When forfeiture proceeds are realised, any payments required by
this Act are payable before the remaining funds are distributed
under this Division.
Note for section 130N
This Act provides for payments out of forfeiture proceeds under sections 103(1),
115(1), 117, 148(2) and 154(5).
130P
Payment to foreign jurisdiction
130P Payment to foreign jurisdiction
(1) The Minister may pay to a foreign jurisdiction determined under
section 130L to have contributed to the forfeiture action the amount
equal to the percentage of realised proceeds as determined under
that section.
(2) If the forfeiture proceeds are to be shared with a contributing
jurisdiction as well as a foreign jurisdiction, the payment under
subsection (1) must be made at the same time as the payment to
the contributing jurisdiction.
(3) If the forfeiture proceeds are not to be shared with a contributing
jurisdiction as well as a foreign jurisdiction, the payment under
subsection (1) must be made to the foreign jurisdiction before the
end of the payment period.
130Q
Payment to other jurisdictions
130Q Payment to other jurisdictions
The Minister must ensure that an amount payable to the
Commonwealth, a State or another Territory under this Part is paid
before the end of the payment period.
130R
Payment to Commonwealth if agreement terminates
130R Payment to Commonwealth if agreement terminates
(1) This section applies if:
(a) a forfeiture action has started; and
(b) shareable proceeds have not been distributed; and
(c) the Intergovernmental Agreement comes to an end or the
Territory ceases to be a participating jurisdiction.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 81
(2) Any amount of shareable proceeds that would have been payable
under this Part to the Commonwealth had the circumstance
mentioned in subsection (1)(c) not occurred must still be paid as if
the circumstance had not occurred.
Div 5
Record keeping
Division 5 Record keeping
130S
Commissioner of Police to keep records
130S Commissioner of Police to keep records
(1) The Commissioner of Police must keep records of actions taken
under the NCS, including records of the following:
(a) the date a forfeiture action commenced and identifying details
of the matter such as:
(i) the names of the parties involved; and
(ii) the name of a police operation related to the forfeiture
action; and
(iii) other details considered relevant by the Commissioner;
(b) the date of restraint of property and a good faith estimate of
the value of the restrained property;
(c) the date of any final order, negotiated settlement, or other
forfeiture and the relevant value;
(d) the jurisdictions determined by the CJC to have made a
contribution to the action;
(e) the date and amount of distribution of forfeiture proceeds,
including payments to foreign jurisdictions, court-ordered
payments and other orders authorised by this Act or the
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth).
(2) The Commissioner of Police must retain the records as long as
necessary to comply with the reporting requirements of the NCS.
130T
Commissioner of Police to report
130T Commissioner of Police to report
(1) The Commissioner of Police must provide, as soon as practicable
after 30 June of each year, a report to the Minister and to the
Attorney-General, identifying the use (if any) by Territory Police of
the investigative powers under the participating jurisdiction
information gathering provisions under the NCS.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 82
(2) The report must include the number of times the powers mentioned
in subsection (1) were exercised.
(3) The Minister must, as soon as practicable after receiving the report,
provide a copy to the responsible Commonwealth Minister.
(4) In this section:
participating jurisdiction information gathering provisions
means the provisions of Schedule 1 to the Proceeds of Crime
Territory Police means the Police Force of the Northern Territory
established by section 5(1) of the Police Administration Act 1978.
131
Registration of interest in land
131 Registration of interest in land
(1) If, in accordance with this Act, an instrument relating to land is
lodged with the Registrar-General, the Registrar-General must
register the instrument under the Land Title Act 2000.
(2) When an instrument of:
(a) the transfer of land in accordance with section 88 is lodged; or
(b) the forfeiture of land, together with a copy of the forfeiture
order, is lodged under section 102(1); or
(c) the forfeiture of land under a registered interstate forfeiture
order, together with a copy of the interstate order, is lodged
under section 123(5);
in addition to registering the instrument the Registrar-General must:
(d) register the Territory as the proprietor of the property; and
(e) endorse the land register in relation to the land to the effect
that, when the instrument was registered the property ceased
to be subject to or affected by any interests recorded in the
register, including caveats, mortgages, charges, obligations
and estates but not including rights-of-way, easements and
restrictive covenants, to which it was subject or by which it
was affected immediately before the registration of the
instrument.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 83
(3) To the extent that a provision of this Act relating to land is
inconsistent with the Land Title Act 2000, the provision of this Act
prevails, but this Act does not otherwise affect the operation of the
Land Title Act 2000 in relation to land dealt with under this Act.
(4) This Act does not prevent:
(a) a person from lodging with the Registrar-General:
(i) a caveat relating to land subject to a restraining order; or
(ii) an instrument relating to a dealing or purported dealing
in land that is subject to a restraining order at the time
that the instrument is lodged; or
(iii) an instrument relating to a dealing or purported dealing
in land that was subject to a restraining order at the time
that the dealing or purported dealing was carried out; or
(b) the Registrar-General from:
(i) giving notice to a person that a caveat has been lodged
in relation to land that is subject to a restraining order; or
(ii) accepting an instrument relating to a dealing or
purported dealing in land that is subject to a restraining
order at the time that the instrument is lodged; or
(iii) accepting an instrument of a dealing or purported
dealing in land that was subject to a restraining order at
the time that the dealing or purported dealing was
carried out;
but the Registrar-General must not register an instrument in the
land register in relation to land while the land is subject to a
registered restraining order.
132
Registration of interests in other property
132 Registration of interests in other property
If a registrar of property registered under an Act other than the Land
Title Act 2000 is notified in accordance with this Act that a
restraining order for the property has been made or has ceased to
be in force or that the property has been forfeited, the registrar must
enter the relevant particulars in the register.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 84
133
Imputation of knowledge that property is restrained
133 Imputation of knowledge that property is restrained
(1) If an instrument relating to the making of a restraining order in
relation to land has been registered under section 131(1), any
person who deals with the land while the restraining order is in
force is taken to have notice, for all purposes, that it is in force.
(2) If particulars of a restraining order for property other than land have
been entered in an appropriate register under section 132, any
person who deals with the property while the restraining order is in
force is taken to have notice, for all purposes, that it is in force.
134
Instruments lodged with Registrar-General
134 Instruments lodged with Registrar-General
An instrument lodged with the Registrar-General under or for this
Act must be in a form approved by the Registrar-General.
135
Courts' jurisdiction
135 Courts' jurisdiction
(1) The Supreme Court has jurisdiction in any proceedings under this
Act.
(2) The Local Court has jurisdiction in any proceedings under this Act
in connection with property if:
(a) the property is not land; and
(b) the value of the property is not more than the jurisdictional
limit of the Local Court.
(3) Despite subsection (2), the Local Court has no jurisdiction in
proceedings for an unexplained wealth declaration or an
examination order.
(4) A declaration, order, finding or decision of a court under this Act in
relation to property is not invalid only because the value of the
property exceeds the maximum permitted to be dealt with by the
court under this section.
(5) This section does not affect the jurisdiction of a court in criminal
proceedings under this Act.
136
Proceedings
136 Proceedings
(1) Proceedings on an application under this Act are taken to be civil
proceedings for all purposes.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 85
(2) Except in relation to an offence under this Act:
(a) a rule of construction that is applicable only in relation to the
criminal law does not apply in the interpretation of this Act;
and
(b) the rules of evidence applicable in civil proceedings apply in
proceedings under this Act; and
(c) the rules of evidence applicable only in criminal proceedings
do not apply in proceedings under this Act; and
(d) a question of fact to be decided by a court in proceedings on
an application under this Act is to be decided on the balance
of probabilities.
137
Appearance by Attorney-General
137 Appearance by Attorney-General
The Attorney-General may appear in any proceedings under this
Act in which the Territory has an interest, whether or not the DPP is
also a party to the proceedings.
138
Stay or adjournment of proceedings
138 Stay or adjournment of proceedings
Proceedings for an order or declaration under this Act are not to be
stayed or adjourned when awaiting the outcome of any criminal
proceedings that have commenced or are to commence involving a
person whose property is or may be affected by the proceedings
under this Act.
139
Opinion evidence
139 Opinion evidence
(1) For making an unexplained wealth declaration or a criminal benefits
declaration, despite any other Act or any practice relating to
hearsay evidence, a court may receive evidence of the opinion of a
person who is experienced in the relevant field of speciality or in the
investigation of illegal activities involving prohibited plants or
dangerous drugs about:
(a) the market value at a particular time of a particular kind of
prohibited plant or dangerous drug; or
(b) the amount, or range of amounts, ordinarily paid at a particular
time for doing anything in relation to a particular kind of
prohibited plant or dangerous drug; or
(c) the relative quality of plant material; or
(d) any other matter on which the court may require guidance.
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 86
(2) For subsection (1), persons who are experienced in the matters
mentioned in that subsection include:
(a) a police officer; and
(b) a member of the Australian Federal Police or the Australian
Crime Commission; and
(c) an officer of Customs as defined in section 4(1) of the
Customs Act 1901 (Cth); and
(d) the DPP; and
(e) a botanist or other plant specialist; and
(f) a person who uses a particular type of drug or grows a
particular type of plant.
140
Evidence that property is crime-used or crime-derived
140 Evidence that property is crime-used or crime-derived
A finding that particular property is crime-used or crime-derived, or
that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that it is crime-
used or crime-derived, and any decision, declaration or order based
on such a finding:
(a) need not be based on a finding as to the commission of a
particular forfeiture offence, but may be based on a general
finding that a forfeiture offence has been committed; and
(b) may be made whether or not any person has been charged
with or convicted of the relevant forfeiture offence; and
(c) may be made whether or not any person who owns or
effectively controls the property in question has been
identified.
141
Evidence of offence proceedings
141 Evidence of offence proceedings
In any proceedings under this Act in relation to property:
(a) if a person has been convicted of the relevant forfeiture
offence, the court may have regard to any or all of the
following:
(i) a transcript of the evidence given in any proceedings for
the offence;
(ii) the sentencing transcript;
(iii) any statement, deposition, exhibit or other material
before a court in any proceedings for the offence;
Criminal Property Forfeiture Act 2002 87
(iv) a copy of any statement relating to the offence that was
served on the person; or
(b) if a person is taken to have been convicted of the relevant
forfeiture offence because the person absconded, the court
may have regard to a copy of any statement relating to the
offence that was served on the person or that would have
been served on the person but for the absconding.
142
Transcripts of examinations
142 Transcripts of examinations
For section 21(7), the transcript of an examination of a person
under an examination order is admissible in any proceedings under
this Act or under any other law in force in the Territory as evidence
of a statement or disclosure made by the person in the course of
complying with the examination order.
143
Hearsay evidence
143 Hearsay evidence
A decision under this Act, except under Part 5, about the existence
of grounds for doing or suspecting anything may be based on
hearsay evidence or hearsay information.
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