Criminals have been stripped of more than $10 million in cash and assets in less than two years through the criminal proceeds recovery legislation.
"Every penny'' of that is money which would have been reinvested in crime, says Police Commissioner Peter Marshall.
The success of the Asset Recovery Unit was "effective and powerful crime prevention,'' he said.
At the end of October this year, police held restraining orders over an estimated $42.6m worth of assets which had yet to go through the court process.
Mr Marshall said he expected the rate of forfeiture would be even greater as time went by. This week, around $14m worth of assets were seized in Operation Ark in Auckland - a covert investigation targeting a criminal syndicate allegedly making and selling thousands of ecstasy pills every week.
"The legislation is just two years old. We began the first year with a trickle of cases, but the tap is well and truly turned on now,'' he said.
"We will continue to target those who profit from criminal activity.''
Mr Marshall said the advantages were not all about money. He cited the case of a Mongrel Mob gang pad in Dunedin that was made forfeit last year.
"The state of the house was such that it sold for well under the value of the mortgage on it. However, it was a big win for that community which no longer has to live with a gang pad in their neighbourhood.''
