CRIMINALS will no longer be able to flaunt their wealth in West Yorkshire.

A new Asset Recovery Team will be set up early next year, charged with seizing the flashy cars, houses and jewellery displayed by drug barons and other criminals.

New powers to confiscate, seize and freeze criminals' assets come in the 2002 Proceeds of Crime Act.

Ms Jane Earl, director of the Asset Recovery Agency, which was set up in London in February, said: "We are talking about how we can use new powers to make sure that crime does not pay.

"We want to encourage the police, courts, Customs and ourselves to work together, so that when people are convicted they are not only punished for that crime, but have taken away from them the money, cars or houses they have acquired as a result of their activity."

Ms Earl, who was speaking at a Leeds conference attended by the police, Customs and Crown Prosecution Service, said: "We have come to explain what new powers are available and to encourage law enforcement agencies to use them to the full.

"The police have seen how powerful these are and are keen to use them."

Ms Earl said that if a suspect had more than £10,000 on them and could not explain where it had come from, the police could now seize the money.

Already, £40m had been accumulated this calendar year alone.

She added: "There are 25 cases in front of the courts at the moment and £12m assets are under restraint."

Proceeds from the sale of assets such as houses and cars, will be sold and the proceeds devoted to fighting crime.

A drug dealer from Huddersfield has already been penalised by the new system.

Joseph Hillaire, 30, who is serving 10 years for drugs offences, has been ordered to pay back more than £400,000 and has lost cash, cars and his former home in Park Lea, Bradley.

Asset recovery teams are being set up across the country to track down criminals' ill-gotten gains.

The teams, one based in West Yorkshire, will be made up of around 30 lawyers, police and Customs officers.

Ms Earl said officers would be encouraged to use the powers early in an investigation, to prevent criminals from slipping their cash and assets out of the country.

"By taking the money away from people and putting it back into crime reduction policies, this has to be a better use of money," said Ms Earl.

"It should get rid of the idea of the role models that criminals are providing in the community."