An Abbotsford home and property is the subject of a civil forfeiture claim in B.C. Supreme Court, with the provincial government alleging the residence was paid for with the proceeds of crime.
The claim also seeks to obtain nearly $25,000 that was seized by the Abbotsford Police Department during a search of the home on Nov. 14.
The home in question is located in the 32000 block of Maclure Road and has been registered since March 27, 2013 to Hang Bich Thuy Do, who resided there and is the spouse of Binh Van Nguyen, according to court documents.
The claim alleges that the pair used the proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs by Nguyen to make mortgage payments, pay property taxes, and contribute to property improvements and maintenance costs.
Nguyen was arrested in Abbotsford on Nov. 13 and has been charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
A search warrant was executed at the Maclure Road home, and police seized almost $24,000 in Canadian funds and $665 in U.S. funds.
A second search was done of a basement suite, which was rented by Nguyen on Curlew Road.
That search turned up more than 300 rocks of crack cocaine, 17 bags of powdered cocaine, more than 200 bags of heroin, and digital scales.
The civil forfeiture claim alleges that the Maclure Road property was used to traffic the drugs and to launder the proceeds of crime.
Under the B.C. Civil Forfeiture Act, the provincial government can apply to obtain property – such as homes and vehicles – that was obtained through criminal activity.
If a judge decides the property must be forfeited, it can then be sold and the proceeds used by the government for victim compensation, crime prevention activities, crime remediation activities, and administration of the act.
A date for the civil forfeiture court proceedings involving the Maclure Road property has not yet been set.