Section 147Part 6 — Forfeiture of Cash and Property
Offences of prejudicing investigation
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This section applies if a person knows or suspects that an appropriate officer is acting (or proposing to act) in connection with a confiscation investigation, civil recovery investigation or money laundering investigation which is being or is about to be conducted.
A person commits an offence if —
the person makes a disclosure which is likely to prejudice the investiga tion; or
the person falsifies, conceals, destroys or otherwise disposes of, or causes or permits the falsification, concealment, destruction or disposal of, documents which are relevant to the investigation.
A person does not commit an offence unde r subsection (2)
where — ( a ) the person does not know or suspect that the disclosure is likely to prejudice the investigation;
the disclosure is made in the exercise of a function under this Act or any other enactment relating to money laundering or benefit from money laundering or in compliance with a requirement imposed under or by virtue of this Act ; or
the person is a professional legal adviser and the disclosure falls within subsection
. ( 4 ) A disclosure falls within this subsection if it is a disclosure —
to (or to a representative of) a client of the professional legal adviser in connection with the giving by the adviser of legal advice to the client; or
to any person in connection with legal proceedings or contemplated legal proceedings.
A disclosure does not fall within subsection (4) if it is made with the intention of furthering a criminal purpose.
A person does not commit an offence under subsection (2) (b) where —
the person does not know or suspect that the documents are relevant to the investigation; or
the person does not intend to conceal any facts disclosed by the documents from any appropriate officer or proper person carrying out the investigatio n.
A person who commits an offence under subsection (2) is liable —
on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term of six months or to a fine of four thousand dollars, or to both; or
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term of five years or to a fine, or to both. Judges and courts