Editing Assets Recovery Agency (section)

{{Short description|Former non-ministerial government department in the United Kingdom}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = Assets Recovery Agency
| logo            = Assets Recovery Agency logo.jpg
| logo_width      = 
| logo_caption    = 
| formed          = {{Start date|2003|02|df=y}}
| dissolved       = {{end date|2008|04|01|df=y}}
| headquarters    = 
| motto           = 
| employees       = 
| budget          = 
| chief1_name     = 
| chief1_position = 
| chief2_name     = 
| chief2_position = 
<!-- (etc.) -->
| director_general     = 
| agency_type     = [[The Crown|Crown status]] [[non-ministerial government department]]
| parent_department = [[Home Office]]
| keydocument1    = [[Proceeds of Crime Act 2002]]
}}

The '''Assets Recovery Agency''' ('''ARA''') was a [[non-ministerial government department]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. It was established under the [[Proceeds of Crime Act 2002]] (POCA) to reduce [[crime]] by confiscating the proceeds of any crime. It was granted a new power of [[civil recovery]] through the [[High Court of Justice|High Court]], and could also take over the powers of the [[HM Revenue and Customs]] (HMRC) to levy [[tax]] without identifying a source for taxed income.

The ARA became operational in February 2003, but it failed to meet its targets for the confiscation of criminal funds.<ref>{{ cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5077846.stm | title=Assets Recovery Agency 'failing' | work=[[BBC News]] | date=14 June 2006 | accessdate=2008-03-23 }}</ref> It was announced in January 2007 that it would be merged with the [[Serious Organised Crime Agency]] (SOCA), which was established in 2006. Provisions to achieve this were contained in the [[Serious Crime Act 2007]]. There were also proposals for other law enforcement agencies, such as HMRC, to be given similar powers of civil recovery at the same time.<ref>{{ cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6251339.stm | title=Assets Recovery Agency abolished | work=BBC News | date=11 January 2007 | accessdate=2008-03-23 }}</ref> On 1 March 2008, the transfer of the Director and staff of the Assets Recovery Agency, its property, rights and liabilities to SOCA and the [[National Policing Improvement Agency]] started in anticipation of the Agency's abolition.<ref>[[Serious Crime Act 2007]], s.74/ Schs.8-9</ref><ref name="comm">Serious Crime Act 2007 (Commencement No.1) Order 2008, [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080219_en_1 SI 2008/219] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413141141/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080219_en_1 |date=April 13, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="comm2">Crime Act 2007 (Commencement No.2 and Transitional and Transitory Provisions and Savings) Order 2008, [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080755_en_1 SI 2008/755] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080415152215/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080755_en_1 |date=April 15, 2008 }}</ref> The agency ceased to exist on 1 April 2008.<ref>Assets Recovery Agency (Abolition) Order 2008, [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080575_en_1 SI 2008/575] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311172558/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080575_en_1 |date=March 11, 2008 }}</ref>