The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (References to Welsh Revenue Authority Financial Investigators) Order 2018
Title and commencement
1.
(1)
The title of this Order is the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (References to Welsh Revenue Authority Financial Investigators) Order 2018.
(2)
This Order comes into force on 1 April 2018.
Interpretation
2.
In this Order—
“the Act” (“y Ddeddf”) means the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002;
“WRA” (“ACC”) means the Welsh Revenue Authority.
Reference to an accredited financial investigator
3.
A reference to an accredited financial investigator in a provision of the Act specified in Part 1 of the Schedule is a reference to an accredited financial investigator who is a member of staff of WRA.
4.
A reference to an accredited financial investigator in a provision of the Act specified in Part 2 of the Schedule is a reference to an accredited financial investigator who is a member of staff of WRA and is at or above grade 7 or equivalent.
SCHEDULEReference to an accredited financial investigator
PART 1
1.
Section 42(2)(c) (application for restraint order under Part 2 – subject to authorisation under section 68(3)(c)).
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Section 378(1)(b) (appropriate officers for the purposes of confiscation investigations under Part 8).
7.
8.
Section 378(4)(a) (appropriate officers for the purposes of money laundering investigations under Part 8).
PART 2
9.
Section 47G(3)(c) (appropriate approval).
10.
Section 68(3)(c) (authorisation for applications and appeals under Part 2).
11.
Section 290(4)(c) (prior approval by a senior officer for search of cash under Chapter 3 of Part 5).
12.
Section 378(2)(d) (senior appropriate officers for the purposes of confiscation investigations).
13.
14.
Section 378(6)(c) (senior appropriate officers for the purposes of money laundering investigations).
This Order provides that references to accredited financial investigators in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (“the Act”) are to be read as references to accredited financial investigators who are members of staff of the Welsh Revenue Authority.
The Schedule to this Order sets out the powers that can be exercised by an accredited financial investigator under the Act.
Accredited financial investigators may apply for restraint orders under Part 2 of the Act and may seize property to which any such restraint order applies. Accredited financial investigators may also search for, seize, detain and apply for the forfeiture of cash under Chapter 3 of Part 5 of the Act. Before exercising powers of search they must (unless in the circumstances it is impracticable to do so) obtain prior approval from either a justice of the peace or a senior officer who must also be an accredited financial investigator. Accredited financial investigators may also apply for orders and warrants in relation to confiscation, money laundering and detained cash investigations under Part 8 of the Act for the purpose of, amongst other things, requiring a specified person to produce certain material; permitting the search of and seizure of material from specified premises and requiring a financial institution to provide customer information relating to a specified person. Only an accredited financial investigator who is, depending on the nature of the order or warrant, either an appropriate person, appropriate officer or senior appropriate officer can apply for and/or exercise the powers under such orders and warrants.
The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to this Order. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with this Order. A copy can be obtained from the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.