Proceeds of Crime CPS and SFO inspection report (554 kB)

This inspection examined the effectiveness of domestic restraint and confiscation casework in the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division and the SFO Proceeds of Crime and International Assistance Division.

Restraint involves freezing suspected criminal assets to prevent their dissipation before they can be recovered. Confiscation orders a convicted defendant to pay a specified sum, depriving them of the financial benefit of their crimes.

This is the first time we have inspected both the CPS and the SFO together. In most cases, their criminal work and casework divisions are too distinct to allow for direct comparisons. However, both organisations’ proceeds of crime divisions have notable similarities. Accordingly, we saw an opportunity to examine both in one inspection – and potentially to identify aspects of good practice in one organisation which are transferable to the other.