The law only had powers to punish someone who had been brought before a court and convicted of a crime after due process. This is no longer true. Like so many of the rights which underpin our liberties, this has been breached in order to prevent drug-dealers profiting from their ill-gotten gains. The law was changed recently to allow police to confiscate the property of people they believe were involved in drug-dealing. The mere suspicion allows bank deposits, houses and cars to be seized by police without any due process, and without giving the accused their day in court with all of the rights that protect against arbitrary oppression. The rule was 'conviction before sentence,' but for some cases now this is the other way round.
