Norway has been hit by a flood of imported crime. International gangs operate in all Police districts. New tools are now being used to fight organized crime.
Before Christmas, the government will present a new bill on independent confiscation, which will make it easier to seize assets from criminals – without anyone having to be convicted first.
“To combat crime, we must confiscate more money, more vehicles, status symbols, and criminal assets. Profit is the main driving force behind criminal networks, and today far too much of the proceeds from criminal activity end up in the pockets of offenders and their backers,” says Minister of Justice and Public Security Astri Aas-Hansen (Labour Party).
The bill on independent confiscation introduces a completely new provision in the Penal Code. It will make it possible to confiscate assets that are highly likely to originate from criminal activity – regardless of who owns them, and without the requirement of a conviction. The decisive factor is that the assets stem from crime.
“The Labour Party government will continue working to prevent cynical criminals from making money by making others unsafe, or by exploiting the trust that exists in Norwegian society,” Aas-Hansen continues.
Work to streamline the confiscation rules has been ongoing for many years, under several governments. Back in 2015, a proposal for rules on so-called civil confiscation was sent for consultation, but it was not followed up politically by the then government. The proposal now announced before Christmas comes about a year after a comprehensive 200-page report was sent for consultation.
“Work on civil confiscation stood still for a long time, but in recent years it has gained full momentum. We are pleased to be the government that presents a concrete proposal to the Storting for new and more effective confiscation rules that will make a difference. It will come before Christmas,” says the Minister of Justice
.
For the government, it is very important that the new rules become an effective tool in the fight against profit-driven crime. It should not just be words on paper but have a real impact. Since the Labour Party took over the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the work has been particularly focused on tailoring the proposal to the practical needs of the police and prosecution authorities, in light of today’s crime situation.
In addition to this legislative work, a number of measures have been implemented to increase the confiscation of criminal proceeds. As part of the government’s efforts against criminal networks and organized crime, increased confiscation has been emphasized as one of the main goals. All police districts have hired dedicated staff to work on confiscation, and a total of NOK 140 million has been allocated in 2024 and 2025 to improve results in economic crime, such as confiscation. This has, among other things, enabled more financial investigators in Økokrim and the police districts, and better use of financial intelligence. Økokrim aims to double the amount confiscated.
“By investing specifically in strengthening the prosecution and police’s competence and capacity in financial investigation and confiscation, we are also laying the groundwork for the effective use of the new powers for independent confiscation,” says Minister of Justice and Public Security Astri Aas-Hansen.