Drug Enforcement Administration September 12, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Consistent with Executive Order 13563, by this rule the Department of Justice (the Department) revises, consolidates, and updates its regulations regarding the seizure, forfeiture, and remission of assets. The rule recognizes that as of 2002 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is now part of the Department, and consolidates the regulations governing the seizure and administrative forfeiture of property by ATF with those of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The rule also conforms the seizure and forfeiture regulations of ATF, DEA, FBI, and the Department's Criminal Division to address procedural changes necessitated by the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act (CAFRA) of 2000. The rule allows ATF, DEA, and FBI to publish administrative forfeiture notices on an official Internet government Web site instead of in newspapers. Lastly, the rule updates the regulations to reflect current forfeiture practice and clarifies the existing regulations pertaining to the return of assets to victims through the remission process.