The Court of Appeal has upheld a High Court decision granting detention orders to the Attorney General under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act.
On the Tuesday edition of his weekly Facebook podcast ‘Issues in the news,’ Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, said that the decision reinforces the government’s authority to seize funds believed to be the proceeds of crime.
The AG stated these rulings demonstrate the government’s determination to recover illegal assets.
“These are tainted monies. These are proceeds of crime, and the courts have found that they are the proceeds of crime and the state is taking them pursuant to the provisions of our law and depositing them in the Consolidated Fund,” Minister Nandlall stated.
The case involved Jacqueline Caines, who was previously convicted of narcotics trafficking.
Following her conviction, the Attorney General’s Chambers initiated forfeiture proceedings to seize $14,613,120 and US$7,844 found in her possession.
Minister Nandlall said the full court dismissed the appeal and issued a detailed ruling affirming the state’s authority to seize tainted funds.
Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh allowed the Special Organised Crime Unit to seize more than 4,018 pennyweights of gold worth over $800 million and about $81 million in cash owned by Sebastiao de Oliveira Mora and Gago Gold Incorporated.
AG Nandlall disclosed that several high-profile forfeiture proceedings involving hundreds of millions of dollars are currently underway.