The Willacy District Attorney announced today that County and District Attorney's Office has received a new police vehicle. The 2010 Chevy Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle will be assigned to the Office's investigators to assist with their law enforcement duties.

Funding for the new vehicle is the result of asset forfeiture monies received from drug traffickers due to drug and money laundering cases. No taxpayers funds were used to purchase the vehicle.

The vehicle will greatly improve the officers¿ efforts to efficiently and effectively perform routine duties such as serving subpoenas, obtaining medical records, and locating and driving witnesses to and from the Courthouse.

The vehicle will also provide our officers with safer and more reliable transportation.

The primary mission of the Willacy County and District Attorney's Office Asset Forfeiture Division is to ensure that criminals do not benefit financially from their illegal acts. State law provides that profits from drugrelated crimes, as well as property used to facilitate certain crimes, are subject to forfeiture. Asset forfeiture has the power to disrupt or dismantle criminal organizations by removing the proceeds of crime and other assets relied upon by criminals and their associates to perpetuate their criminal activity against our County. Since drug trafficking is a crime of greed, asset forfeiture is an effective weapon because it removes the profit from such illegal activities.