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  3. Duties and responsibilities under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Guidance

Duties and responsibilities under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

This advice explains how operators can make sure they and their employees comply with their obligations under The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA).

Published
13 November 2020

Last updated
27 February 2023 - Changes

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  1. Contents
  2. Part 1 - Introduction and summary of the advice
  3. 6 - The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

6 - The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

POCA defines criminal property as property which constitutes a person’s benefit from criminal conduct or represents such a benefit, in whole or in part, whether directly or indirectly, and the alleged offender knows or suspects it constitutes or represents such a benefit.

Criminal conduct is defined as conduct which constitutes an offence in any part of the United Kingdom or would constitute an offence in any part of the United Kingdom if it occurred there.

A person benefits from criminal conduct if they obtain property as a result of or in connection with the conduct. If a person benefits from criminal conduct, their benefit is the property obtained as a result of, or in connection with, the conduct. Property is gained by a person if they obtain an interest in it.

POCA creates several principal offences that apply to everyone and criminalise any involvement in the proceeds of any crime if the person knows or suspects that the property is criminal property (Section 327 (opens in a new tab), 328 (opens in a new tab) and 329 (opens in a new tab) of POCA).

These offences relate to the concealing, disguising, converting, transferring, acquisition, use and possession of criminal property, as well as an arrangement which facilitates the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property. For example, in the gambling industry, this may involve the taking of cash, cheque, or card payments, based on funds which are the proceeds of crime, in the form of a bet or wager, or holding money on account for a customer for the purposes of gambling.

POCA and the offences under POCA are discussed in The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 of this advice.

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