The three-bedroom East Vancouver home that’s about to hit the market includes a brick fireplace and finished basement, along with a private back deck.The seller is motivated. The home at 3598 East Georgia St. is one of three former clubhouses of the Hells Angels that now belong to the British Columbia government after the Supreme Court of Canada chose not to hear an appeal related to the province’s controversial civil forfeiture process.
The head of the Civil Forfeiture Office says the latest court decision puts to rest concerns about the legality of the process. The Supreme Court of Canada decision not to hear the case means an appeal court ruling earlier this year stands. While more expensive items can involve a lengthy public court process, seized items worth less than $75,000 can go through an administrative process that only involves a judge if someone challenges the claim within 60 days.
“But nothing in the legislation stops these types of things from happening to people who are committing much less serious crimes, who are not actually profiting from crime, or who are committing offences that aren’t even crimes. And there’s nothing to stop the penalties from being really disproportionate to the alleged offences.”
Song represented the Hells Angels in court, but said he was only speaking in his capacity with the BCCLA.