The proceeds of crime will be seized

The Proceeds of Crime Act, which is being rolled out across the UK, allows forces to confiscate everything from cars and houses to bank accounts and bonds.

The police said this new legislation will target everyone from the "Mr Bigs" to small-time crooks.

Forces will be able to probe money laundering more vigorously, as they no longer have to prove investigations are directly linked to a particular crime.

The act defines specific offences which are in themselves indicative of criminal lifestyl Justice Minister Jim Wallace

A new Financial Investigation Unit has been set up in Glasgow.

A civil recovery unit has also been established at the Crown Office, which will decide if cases can be pursued under civil law if the proof falls short of a criminal investigation.

Police have further powers to investigate the financial history of drug dealers and arms traffickers and the Crown can confiscate their assets.

The police can also now apply for restraining orders which prevent criminals from getting rid of their assets.

On Monday, Justice Minister Jim Wallace announced that the third part of the legislation in Scotland, covering provisions on "criminal lifestyle", had been rolled out.

Anyone adjudged by the courts to have a criminal lifestyle will be subject to a confiscation order.

'Blackmail or extortion'

Their estimated proceeds from crime in the preceding six years and their available assets will be used when calculating how much they should pay.

Mr Wallace said: "The act defines specific offences which are in themselves indicative of criminal lifestyle: drugs trafficking, directing terrorism, trafficking in people or in arms, counterfeiting, intellectual property offences, pimping or running a brothel, blackmail or extortion.

"If an accused has been involved in multiple crimes, or in an offence committed over a period of at least six months, from which he or she has benefited to the tune of at least �5,000, again he or she will be classified as having a criminal lifestyle.