New powers will be a huge Asset to crime fighters

Bid to halt endless & costly legal battles, Gangsters forced to hand over sooner

- PAUL HEALY and JOHN HAND

THE Criminal Assets Bureau is to be given new powers that will put a halt to mob bosses launching endless court battles against it.

Justice Minister Simon Harris is today set to announce proposals to prevent non-stop court challenges against the seizure of proceeds of crime by the CAB like gang boss John Gilligan once did.

The mobster spent two decades mounting legal challenges against his properties being seized costing the taxpayer 20million before he finally exhausted ff every avenue.

And under the new proposals criminals will no longer be able to delay the seizure of properties deemed to be the proceeds of crime. The courts will automatically appoint a receiver to a property when a decision is made that an asset is a proceed of crime pending a final disposal order.

This will mean a property or asset will be managed by a receiver, and will not be available for use by the person being pursued by the CAB during this period.

The minister is set to announce the move at the annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and