PRESENTATION IS GIVEN BY TOP FIGURE IN CAB
A SENIOR figure within the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) attended this month’s meeting of Wexford County Council’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC).
Detective Chief Superintendent Patrick Clavin gave a presentation to the committee members in which he outlined the nature of CAB and what it does to tackle organised crime.
He emphasised that the organistion is not a branch of the Gardaí but does have Garda members operating within it.
‘It’s not part of the Gardaí and was set up in 1996 as an independent agency and it has a number of different organisations linked into it,’ said Chief Supt Clavin.
Some of the agencies whose personel work within or alongside CAB include the Revenue Commissioners, Customs and Excise, the Department of Justice and the Gardaí.
‘All of the people involved in it bring the respective powers they have to it,’ he said. ‘CAB is an agency that works to target criminals and works to take their assets from them.’
The committee members were told that apart from the Garda members all other officers of CAB are afforded statutory anonymity.
Chief Supt Clavin said the resources are in place for CAB to do its job but commented that having elected members and the community in general working in tandem with it enables the organisation to be more efficient.
He encouraged people to tip off the organisation about people they suspect might be involved in criminal activity and he highlighted the fact that those who do forward information will not be required to give evidence.
‘People who tip us off will not be asked to give evidence in court,’ he said. ‘There will be no betrayal of anyone who gives us information.’
He also made reference to legislative changes that took place in 2016 with the publication of the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill which reduced the threshold value of property that can be pursued by CAB from €13,000 to €5,000.
Chief Supt Clavin also said the Government made a commitment to look at how the courts can better engage with CAB going forward.