The Asset Forfeiture Unit was established in 2001 and is an OPP led Joint Forces Operation. It is comprised of 43 officers from the OPP and 16 municipal police agencies from across the province.
Profit is one of the primary motivators for criminal activity. Depriving criminals of wealth acquired through crime is a crime reduction strategy. The criminal economy poses a serious threat to the safety and security of Ontario communities and as such, all deterrents to crime, including asset seizure, should be aggressively pursued.
Investigators of the AFU provide guidance, expertise and leadership on the various methods available to seize assets for their eventual forfeiture. They support various substantive units, such as drug enforcement, fraud, gaming, *advertiser censored*, weapons, auto theft, regional/detachment crime units, regional/municipal police services, and front-line officers.