For Immediate Release

Albuquerque, NM – On Friday, October 28, 2011, the United States Marshals Service held the third Asset Forfeiture auto auction of 2011 at Dugger Services in NE Albuquerque. The auction brought in over $111,000.00 and was a huge success for both the public and the government. This month’s auction had over 171 registered bidders and featured 18 vehicles that ranged from a 2009 Toyota Tundra to a 1967 Chevrolet C-10 pick-up truck. One of the best buys of the day was a 1995 Ford F-150 that sold for only $1,200. Proceeds from U.S. Marshals’ auctions are used to compensate victims of crime and fund law enforcement initiatives. District of New Mexico, United States Marshal Conrad Candelaria, stated “These auctions have turned out to be a great place for members of our community to buy a vehicle at low cost, and where the money spent goes back into the community. These auctions have been a win-win for the people of New Mexico.”

In addition, funds generated from the auctions are often shared with state and local law enforcement agencies that participated in the investigations leading to the forfeiture of the assets. Marshal Candelaria also said “this important program enhances law enforcement cooperation between state, local and federal agencies, as well as strips criminals of their ill-gotten gains.” The items up for auction once belonged to individuals and companies involved in criminal activity. A court of law has ordered these particular assets to be forfeited as ill-gotten gains.

The U.S. Marshals Service is the primary custodian of seized and forfeited property for the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Program. More than 8,400 items of forfeited property are sold annually with gross sales in excess of $100 million.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.

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America’s Oldest Federal Law Enforcement Agency