DOJ Shuts Down Bal Harbour's Forfeiture Program

Vice squad now banned from using seized cash and vehicles

The U.S. Justice Department shut down Bal Harbour's celebrated federal forfeiture program and ordered the police to return more than $4 million, slapping the agency with crushing sanctions for tapping into drug money to pay for first-class flights, luxury car rentals, and payments to informants across the country

After years of seizing millions from criminals, Bal Harbour's vice squad is now banned from the federal program that allowed the village police for years to seize cars, boats, and cash — and to keep a cut of the proceeds.