Report: Utah police seized $1.4M under civil forfeiture law

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A new state report shows Utah police seized $1.4 million in cash last year from people under a law allowing law enforcement to take someone’s property even if a person isn’t charged or convicted of a crime.

The report released Thursday by the state Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice shows nearly all of the seized cash and other seized property came during investigations of alleged drug crimes.

Utah police are required to deposit the cash or profits from seized assets into a state account that then doles out grants to law enforcement agencies.

The report shows $1.2 million was paid out from that account last year for things like the state drug court system, a drug crime task force and equipment for police, including Naloxone rescue kits, patrol car cameras and tear gas launchers.