New B.C. legislation coming to seize criminals’ cash: Solicitor General

Planned legislation allowing the provincial government to seize unexplained cash and property should make it harder for organized crime to flourish in B.C., Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said Thursday.

Farnworth was reacting to a decision Wednesday by a special prosecutor not to lay charges against a suspected money launderer after a five-year investigation by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit. It was the second time that Richmond’s Paul King Jin was a target of a major money laundering probe. And it was the second time criminal charges were not approved against the gym manager.

Jin is still the subject of several B.C. government lawsuits seeking forfeiture of millions worth of properties for his alleged involvement in organized crime.

“All I can say is it is very frustrating when this happens. And this is why we are making and have made changes to legislation,” Farnworth said. “The unexplained wealth order legislation we will introduce later this session and will significantly help us.”