POLICE have clawed back almost £2m from criminals in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the past year, figures have revealed.

The force’s specialist financial investigators used the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to seize cash from offenders convicted of crimes including drugs and fraud.

Between April last year and the end of March 2011 officers obtained 98 confiscation orders and took back £1,918,281.61 – more than three times the amount in the previous year.

As well as achieving successful confiscation orders, the unit has also secured cash forfeiture orders of more than £480,000; totalling over £2.5m taken out of the criminal economy across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Detective Inspector Dave Brown for Hampshire Constabulary’s economic crime group said: “Financial investigation is an excellent tool in helping to reduce the harm that criminals in the community can cause and bring those that have profited from criminal activity to account for their actions.

“Through the POCA legislation, the force can not only convict individuals for their crimes but it can also ensure that once convicted the criminals won’t be able to benefit from their criminal activity at a later date.

“The impact that these criminals have on the community is huge and we want to ensure that they can’t return and show off their ill-gotten gains.”