State Forfeiture Attorney in Tampa & Clearwater

State forfeiture permits agents of the state to seize the private property of people due to suspicions of various crimes. This area of law is generally rather obscure and, until recently, little used, and can result in the loss of your property. It is necessary to have an experienced criminal defense lawyer by your side during the forfeiture proceedings as this is an extremely obscure area of law.

Whenever an individual is arrested for an illegal activity such as drug trafficking or money laundering, their property can be confiscated as well. In one instance, the police can confiscate property because it has been used in the process of an illegal activity. For example, if a person is selling drugs and uses a car to move the drugs from Point A to Point B, the car can be confiscated as something of an accomplice to the crime. In other situations, the law enforcement officials of the area might confiscate the car or boat because it was purchased with the proceeds that stem from an illegal activity. If a house is purchased with the profits from selling drugs or being a hit-man, the house can be confiscated.

While the laws may seem somewhat reasonable, recently there have been reports of state and local police being sure to arrest people in places that have high values. They do this in order to seize the property which creates large revenues for the state. If your property has been seized by a law enforcement organization, contact the Tampa & Clearwater state forfeiture attorneys of the Law Offices of Tragos & Sartes, P.L. to discuss the details of your case and determine the best way to get your property back.