Agencies that Seize Property for Forfeiture
Various local, state, and federal agencies seize property for forfeiture. Federal agencies that seize property for forfeiture include the following:
- Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
- United States Secret Service (USSS)
- United States Attorneys’ Office (USAO)
- United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
Visit the links above to find out how each federal agency handles civil asset forfeiture cases.
At the federal level, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Asset Forfeiture Fund is a repository for funds seized by participating agencies and the sale proceeds from forfeited property. According to Attorney General Directive 90-5, the federal asset forfeiture program has the following goals:
- to punish and deter criminal activity by depriving criminals of property used or acquired through illegal activities;
- to enhance cooperation among local, state, federal and foreign law enforcement agencies through the equitable sharing of assets recovered through the program; and
- to produce revenues to encourage more forfeitures and strengthen law enforcement efforts.
Local and State Agencies that Seize Property for Forfeiture
Local and state-level law enforcement agencies also seize property for forfeiture. Those forfeitures typically proceed under state law, although a federal agency might “adopt” the seizure. In rare instances, a state agency might attempt a “reverse forfeiture” after a federal agency initiates a forfeiture.
In Florida, the state and local agencies that seize property for forfeiture include:
- Sheriff’s Offices
- Police Departments
- University/Community College Police Departments
- the State Attorney’s Office in each judicial circuit
- State Agencies
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
- Department of Highway Safety Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)
- Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)
- Florida Department of Financial Services (FDFS)
- Florida Divison of Investigative and Forensic Services (FLDFS)
Read more about property seized for forfeiture in Florida.