Attorney General Seizes Chatham "Drug House"

     CHATHAM, ON, Aug. 16 /CNW/ - Ontario's Attorney General has been granted

a court order to preserve and secure a Chatham apartment building that police

call a "drug house," Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today.

     "We have a court order to temporarily take control of one of the most

infamous addresses known to police in Chatham," said Bryant. "A police

presence at the property will discourage any unlawful activity. As Attorney

General, I will be asking the court to forfeit this property to the Crown as

an instrument of unlawful activity under the Civil Remedies Act."

     On August 13, 2007, the property at 51 Taylor Avenue was frozen under the

provincial Civil Remedies Act and the Crown was given temporary control of the

property pending the outcome of forfeiture proceedings. Counsel for the

Attorney General satisfied the court that there were reasonable grounds to

believe the property was being used as an instrument of unlawful activity for

the possession, sale and use of illegal drugs, including crack cocaine. All

allegations must still be proven in court.

     "We are grateful that the Attorney General has used the Civil Remedies

Act to take possession of this property and begin proceedings seeking its

forfeiture," said Chatham-Kent Police Chief Carl Herder. "Over the past five

years, police have answered more than 300 calls at 51 Taylor Avenue and

executed 21 search warrants on three apartments in the building, which

resulted in 49 arrests and 119 charges."

     The Civil Remedies Act authorizes the Attorney General to ask civil

courts to freeze, take possession of and order the forfeiture of the proceeds

and instruments of unlawful activity to the Crown. If government lawyers can

prove that the property in question is a proceed or an instrument of unlawful

activity, the court can issue an order forfeiting the property to the Crown.

     Civil forfeiture focuses solely on the connection between property and

unlawful activity. It is not dependant on any criminal charges or convictions.

The standard of proof required for civil forfeiture is the same as it is in

all civil actions - a balance of probabilities.

     This is the first step in the civil process that will ask the court to

order the forfeiture of the property to the Crown. If successful, the property

will be sold and the funds deposited into a special purpose account. Direct

victims of any unlawful activity associated with the property would then be

able to submit a claim for compensation against the forfeited property.

     Since November 2003, the Attorney General has used the Civil Remedies Act

     to:

     -   Shut down a notorious Hamilton crack house and transfer ownership to

         the city for redevelopment

     -   Freeze a second crack house in Hamilton

     -   Crush two street racing cars

     -   Gain forfeitures on 13 properties used for marijuana grow operations

         and freeze 52

     -   Freeze a Hell's Angels club house in Oshawa

     -   Obtain forfeitures of almost $1 million in illicit cash

     -   Disburse approximately $1 million in compensation to victims of

         unlawful activity

     -   Award more than $900,000 in grants to law enforcement agencies.