Asset Forfeiture: Opportunities for Savings Through Program Consolidation

GAO discussed the management and disposition of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) and the U.S. Customs Service's plan for consolidating their noncash seized asset inventories. GAO noted that: (1) consolidation could have saved 14 percent of the $22 million the two agencies spent on program administration for seized properties; (2) consolidating drug-related and nondrug-related seized properties would eliminate duplicative efforts and lower costs; (3) time frames for developing and implementing a consolidation plan, including actions to address program management deficiencies need to be established; and (4) DOJ was better equipped to run the consolidated program, since the estimated value of its noncash seized asset inventory was almost five times larger than Customs'. GAO believes that DOJ, working through the Marshals Service, should be designated as the leader in working with the Department of the Treasury and Customs to put together a plan that addresses both consolidation and program management issues.