SCOTS police will be able to keep up to half of the assets seized from criminals under a new incentive plan.

SCOTS police will be able to keep up to half of the assets seized from criminals under a new incentive plan.

Forces are looking to introduce a scheme similar to that south of the border, which means police and other agencies receive 50% of what they recover. Ministers are thought to back the move.

Currently, the money is collated nationally and a proportion of it is awarded to local community and sports projects.

Strathclyde Police has been looking at how the scheme could be implemented in Scotland.

The Crown Office has seized more than £25million under the Proceeds of Crime Act since 2003.

Last year Scotland's biggest confiscation order of £1.3m was made against Michael Voudouri, 37, of Bridge of Allan, who was jailed for four years in 2004 for a £3m VAT scam.

However, some senior police are concerned that on average just 10% of the assets they believe are held by criminals are ultimately confiscated.

One senior officer said: "There is a real frustration that once we have identified 100% of their assets, the balance sheet goes forward for negotiation with the defence and, after that bartering process, on average we are seeing just 10% taken off people.

"We have got to look at the system again. Currently, there are other pieces of legislation, like the matrimonial homes act, which immediately splits the property 50/50, cutting the amount in half."

Gordon Meldrum, director-general of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency said: "I would support incentivisation and I welcome the debate around this.

"We are re-doubling our own efforts to tackle this within SCDEA. It is about how we strengthen our challenge to organised crime groups and part of that is the motivation to bankrupt these groups."

Forthcoming changes to legislation - including extending the time over which money can be reclaimed from six to 25 years - should help.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Criminal Justice and Licensing bill will make it easier to target those who direct crime or those who turn a blind eye to it and those who live off it."