If there is evidence of using any assets in London in an illegal manner, personal belongings can get seized forcefully through civil forfeiture. It is crucial to have representation legally if your belongings have been seized. This is the general definition to explain civil forfeiture but in order to advise or assist in it in London, expert knowledge is required as every case is different.
1000 pounds or more can be seized by any police officer from any person since 2002 if there is enough evidence to prove that the cash had either been used in an illegal manner or obtained in an illegal manner. There should be no doubt about the intention of using money in an illegal manner for which the prosecutor should have enough proof as the seizure involves criminal law. Holding on time in London of the assets after seizure is 48 hours. But the belongings can be kept in Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets, or Hammersmith and Fulham for a longer period of time if it is allowed through an order from court. Till the time that the proceedings by court in London get completed, an account that is secure will contain funds that accumulates interest. Another method is for the London court to send an order for forfeiture when there is proof about the money not been obtained or used in a legal manner but this is a civil procedure rather than a criminal one.
Asset forfeiture is connected to the confiscation of belongings through enforcement of law from people who have gotten cash in an illegal manner. It can be applied in situations where corporate or private tenants in London have breached their lease contracts as well. As opposed to that, civil forfeiture is for scenarios in which funds can be temporarily or permanently confiscated by London officials even before the court rules that laws have been broken by the individual.
Since 2018, London enforcement has the right to take hold of funds which includes bank balances in the UK on the basis of mere doubt of an illegal action. Magistrate's court would be sent the seizure application and seized assets might get permanently forfeited through law enforcement if there is a higher chance of the money being given through criminal conduct.
The first step is to ask for legal advice from an expert if you face civil forfeiture in London so that every proceeding is legal and so that you know if and how you can get back your belongings.