Criminal Assets Bureau

The role of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is to confiscate, freeze or seize criminal assets. Its work also includes ensuring that criminal proceeds are subjected to tax and investigation, and determining the eligibility of claims for social welfare benefits or assistance by criminals or suspected criminals.

The CAB was established by Government in August 1996. It is a statutory body, with staff drawn from the Gardaí, the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The Chief State Solicitor provides the necessary legal support services to the bureau. The annual reports of the CAB provide more detailed information on the work carried out by the organisation. See the bureau's most recent annual report - Criminal Assets Bureau Annual Report 2010 (PDF - 365KB).

The ongoing development and support by CAB of the Divisional Asset Profiler’s Programme ensures that local knowledge is combined with the Bureau’s expertise in stripping criminals of illegally gained assets, to ensure that life is being made progressively more difficult for those who seek to profit from criminality and the consequent misery of others. There are currently 128 asset profilers in An Garda Síochána based in every county in Ireland, and this number will be reviewed in the light of changing needs and requirements.

In 2009 the Bureau:

obtained interim orders to the value of over €11.5 million and Interlocutory Orders ("final" restraint orders) to the value of over €3.5 million;
collected over €5 million in taxes and interest;
made social welfare savings of over €790,000 and recoveries of over €160,000.

Since its statutory inception in October 1996 and up to 31st December 2009 the Bureau:

has obtained interim and "final" restraint orders to the value of over €87 million and over €41.5 million, respectively.
taxes and interest demanded was over €160 million, with over €129 million collected
saved over €3.7 million in social welfare payments and recovered overpayments of almost €4.8 million.