Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

342 Offences of prejudicing investigation U.K.

(1) This section applies if a person knows or suspects that an appropriate officer or (in Scotland) a proper person is acting (or proposing to act) in connection with a confiscation investigation, a civil recovery investigation [F1 , a detained cash investigation] [F2 , a detained property investigation, a frozen funds investigation] [F3 , a cryptoasset investigation] [F4 , an exploitation proceeds investigation] or a money laundering investigation which is being or is about to be conducted.

(2) The person commits an offence if—

(a) he makes a disclosure which is likely to prejudice the investigation, or

(b) he falsifies, conceals, destroys or otherwise disposes of, or causes or permits the falsification, concealment, destruction or disposal of, documents which are relevant to the investigation.

(3) A person does not commit an offence under subsection (2)(a) if—

(a) he does not know or suspect that the disclosure is likely to prejudice the investigation,

(b) the disclosure is made in the exercise of a function under this Act or any other enactment relating to criminal conduct or benefit from criminal conduct or in compliance with a requirement imposed under or by virtue of this Act, or

[F5 (ba) the disclosure is of a matter within section 333A(2) or (3)(a) (money laundering: tipping off) and the information on which the disclosure is based came to the person in the course of a business in the regulated sector,]

[F6 (bb) the disclosure is made in the exercise of a function under Part 7 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (criminal memoirs etc) or in compliance with a requirement imposed under or by virtue of that Act,]

(c) he is a professional legal adviser and the disclosure falls within subsection (4).

(4) A disclosure falls within this subsection if it is a disclosure—

(a) to (or to a representative of) a client of the professional legal adviser in connection with the giving by the adviser of legal advice to the client, or

(b) to any person in connection with legal proceedings or contemplated legal proceedings.

(5) But a disclosure does not fall within subsection (4) if it is made with the intention of furthering a criminal purpose.

(6) A person does not commit an offence under subsection (2)(b) if—

(a) he does not know or suspect that the documents are relevant to the investigation, or

(b) he does not intend to conceal any facts disclosed by the documents from any appropriate officer or (in Scotland) proper person carrying out the investigation.

(7) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (2) is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine or to both.

(8) For the purposes of this section—

(a) “appropriate officer” must be construed in accordance with section 378;

(b) “proper person” must be construed in accordance with section 412.

[F7 (c) Schedule 9 has effect for determining what is a business in the regulated sector.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 342(1) inserted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 10 para. 2; S.I. 2008/755, art. 17(1)(d)(ii)

F2 Words in s. 342(1) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. for specified purposes, 16.4.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 40; S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(3)(a)(i)(ii); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F3 Words in s. 342(1) inserted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), s. 219(1)(2)(b), Sch. 9 para. 8(3)

F4 Words in s. 342(1) inserted (6.4.2010) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), s. 182(5), Sch. 19 para. 3(a) (with s. 180); S.I. 2010/816, art. 2, Sch. para. 18

F5 S. 342(3)(ba) inserted (26.12.2007) by Terrorism Act 2000 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3398), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 8(2)

F6 S. 342(3)(bb) inserted (6.4.2010) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), s. 182(5), Sch. 19 para. 3(b) (with s. 180); S.I. 2010/816, art. 2, Sch. para. 18

F7 S. 342(8)(c) inserted (26.12.2007) by Terrorism Act 2000 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3398), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 8(3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 342 applied (24.2.2003) by Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Crown Servants) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/173), regs. 1, 3

Commencement Information

I1 S. 342 in force at 24.2.2003 by S.I. 2003/120, art. 2, Sch. (with arts. 3-6) (as amended (20.2.2003) by S.I. 2003/333, art. 14)