Saskatchewan to keep cash seized from tractor-trailer

Nearly $900,000 seized from a tractor-trailer in a Saskatchewan traffic stop last fall will be kept by provincial authorities through civil forfeiture.

Saskatchewan Highway Patrol conducted a commercial traffic inspection on Sept. 1, 2022, on the eastern outskirts of Regina.

Two men were in the truck cab. Officers found some commercial vehicle violations and missing documentation, according to a news release from the Saskatchewan Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

They also found two large duffle bags and a black canvas shopping bag that were filled with Canadian currency. The money was in clear, vacuum-sealed plastic bags in the duffle and shopping bags.

The two occupants were taken into custody without incident, and the bags of money were seized. The two occupants were released that evening without being charged. Officers reported they had been driving to Headingly, Manitoba.

RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Saskatchewan took over the investigation.

RCMP in its statement described the bagged money as “consistent with organized crime.”

In total, $897,540 in Canadian currency was seized by police.

On March 30, 2023, the Provincial Crown applied for civil forfeiture and the Regina King’s Bench Court deemed the proceeds were the result of unlawful activity and ordered the money be forfeited to Saskatchewan’s Civil Forfeiture Program.

Through that program, seized funds are distributed to police operations, the Victims’ Fund, and community programming.

Saskatchewan, in 2019, expanded the scope of what it can seize through civil asset forfeiture, reports CBC.ca. As explained by CBC.ca, the province doesn’t have to prove the property was part of criminal activity and does not require a conviction before seizing money or property. An accused person can be found not guilty or have their charges dropped but their civil forfeiture proceedings could still go ahead.

The province of Saskatchewan increased funding and added positions to the civil asset forfeiture program last year, reports TheStarPhoenix.com. Four investigators, three legal counsel and a criminal analyst were added. LL

 Other civil forfeiture articles:

• Truck company owner gets seized money back.
• Trucking company owner gets interest on seized money.
• Company owners try to get back $579,475 confiscated from tractor-trailer.