CUSTOMS ACT 1901 - SECT 243B Pecuniary penalties

CUSTOMS ACT 1901 - SECT 243B

  (1)   Subject to subsection   (7), the Minister, the Commissioner of Police, the Comptroller - General of Customs or the Director of Public Prosecutions may institute a proceeding in the Court, on behalf of the Commonwealth, for an order that a person pay a pecuniary penalty to the Commonwealth in respect of:

  (a)   a particular prescribed narcotics dealing engaged in by him or her; or

  (b)   prescribed narcotics dealings engaged in by him or her during a particular period.

  (2)   If, in a proceeding instituted under subsection   (1), the Court is satisfied that the person in relation to whom the order is sought:

  (a)   has engaged in a particular prescribed narcotics dealing; or

  (b)   has, during a particular period, engaged in prescribed narcotics dealings;

the Court shall assess, in accordance with section   243C, the value of the benefits derived by the person by reason of his or her having engaged in that dealing, or in prescribed narcotics dealings during that period, as the case may be, and order the person to pay to the Commonwealth a pecuniary penalty equal to the value as so assessed.

  (3)   The Court may order a person to pay a pecuniary penalty under subsection   (2) in relation to a particular prescribed narcotics dealing, or prescribed narcotics dealings during a particular period, whether or not the person has been convicted of an offence, or proceedings have been instituted in respect of any offence, committed in relation to that dealing or any of those dealings and whether or not any moneys or other goods have been seized under section   229A in relation to that dealing or any of those dealings.

  (4)   An amount payable by a person to the Commonwealth in accordance with an order made under subsection   (2) shall, for all purposes, be deemed to be a civil debt due by the person to the Commonwealth.

  (5)   An order made by the Court under subsection   (2) may be enforced as if it were an order made by the Court in civil proceedings instituted by the Commonwealth against the person to recover a debt due by the person to the Commonwealth.

  (6)   This section applies to and in relation to moneys that come, or other property that comes, into the possession or under the control of a person either within or outside Australia, and to benefits that are provided for a person either within or outside Australia.

  (7)   A proceeding under subsection   (1) may be commenced:

  (a)   if the proceeding relates to a particular prescribed narcotics dealing engaged in by a person after the commencement of this section--within 6 years after that dealing took place; or

  (b)   if the proceeding relates to prescribed narcotics dealings during a particular period, being a period that commenced after the commencement of this section--within 6 years after the end of that period.