South Yorkshire Police seize assets worth £150,000 from suspected gang members
Assets worth £150,000 belonging to suspected gang members have been seized by the police in a crackdown on organised crime in South Yorkshire.
South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner said cash, cars and other valuables have been seized by officers in the latest effort to break up crime gangs and to disrupt their illegal activities.
The assets are then ‘recycled’ back into communities affected by gang-related activity in the form of grants to fund crime prevention work and projects to deter young people from lives of crime.
Dr Alan Billings said: “I have encouraged the police to continue to seize more of the assets of gang members so that I can recycle those assets back into the communities by way of grants.
“We have currently recycled more than £150,000 that way. These assets can be not only cash but where a criminal's lifestyle suggests he or she is living off the proceeds of criminal activity, they can include cars and property.”
He revealed the action taken by South Yorkshire Police after expressing concern that young people could be more at risk of being recruited by crime gangs during the pandemic as youth unemployment rises.
He said tackling organised crime is a ‘top priority’ and ‘a lot of resources are going into it’.
Dr Billings added: “Most of the organised criminal gangs are involved in drugs.
“The violence we have seen on the streets has generally been drug and gang related.
“During the lockdowns we have seen a lot of activity - a lot of covert activity, many arrests, disruptive activities such as prosecutions for driving unlicensed, untaxed or uninsured vehicles.
“The force has set up an Armed Crime Team specifically to tackle those gangs that resort to violence - knives and guns.”
He said officers are also involved in ‘some very focused, intelligence led stop and searches’ to look for gang members carrying weapons or drugs.
Dr Billings said: “I want the police to continue with their very proactive work of disrupting and suppressing the gangs. I am funding through my grants scheme and through the Violence Reduction Unit organisations and groups who are working to prevent young people being drawn into the gangs.”