Non-prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties in the enforcement of forfeiture orders

Republic of Montenegro

Criminal Code of the Republic of Montenegro

GENERAL PART

TITLE SEVEN
CONFISCATION OF PECUNIARY GAIN

Requirements for Confiscation of Pecuniary Gain
Article 113

(1) Money, property of value and any other pecuniary gain originating from a criminal offence shall be confiscated from the perpetrator, and where such confiscation is not possible, the perpetrator shall pay the equivalent amount in money.

(2) Also liable to confiscation from the perpetrator shall be pecuniary gain for which there is reasonable suspicion to believe that it originates from criminal activity unless the perpetrator makes it probable to believe that its origin is legitimate (extended confiscation).

(3) The confiscation of pecuniary gain referred to in para. 2 above may apply if the perpetrator has been convicted under a final judgment of any of the following :
1) any of the criminal offences committed through a criminal organization
(Art.401a) ;
2) any of the following criminal offences :
- crime against humanity and other values protected under international law and committed out of greed ;
- money laundering ;
- unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotics ;
- criminal offences against payment operations and economic activity and criminal offences against official duty, which were committed out of greed, and which carry eight year prison term or a more severe punishment.

(4) Pecuniary gain shall be liable to confiscation if it was obtained in the period before and/or after the commission of any of the criminal offences under para. 3 hereof until the finality of judgment, and if the court establishes that the time when the pecuniary gain was obtained and other circumstances of the case in question justify the confiscation of the pecuniary gain.

(5) Also liable to confiscation shall be pecuniary gain originating from a criminal offence where it has been transferred to other persons free of charge or where such persons knew, could have known, or were obliged to know that the pecuniary gain originated from a criminal offence.

(6) Where pecuniary gain was obtained for another person, such gain shall also be liable to confiscation.

Protection of Injured Party
Article 114

(1) Where the injured party has been awarded his claim for damages in criminal proceedings, the court shall order the confiscation of pecuniary gain only insofar as such pecuniary gain exceeds the adjudicated claim of the injured party.

(2) The injured party which has been referred by the criminal court to bringing his claim for damages in a civil action may request to be reimbursed from confiscated pecuniary gain, provided that he brings a civil claim within six months from the final decision directing him to bring a civil action and under the further condition that he claims reimbursement from the confiscated pecuniary gain within three months from the final decision awarding his claim.

(3) Any injured party who has not brought his claim for damages in the course of the criminal proceedings may request to be reimbursed from confiscated pecuniary gain provided that he instituted a civil action for the purpose of establishing his claim within three months of the date he learnt of the judgment ordering confiscation of pecuniary gain, but not later than within three years of the date of final decision ordering confiscation of pecuniary gain and provided further that he requests, within three months of the date of decision awarding his claim for damages, to be reimbursed from the confiscated pecuniary gain.

GENERAL PART

TITLE SEVEN
CONFISCATION OF PECUNIARY GAIN

Article 112

(1) No person may retain pecuniary gains originating from an unlawful act which is established by law as a criminal offence.

(2) The pecuniary gain referred to in para. 1 above shall be liable to confiscation under the conditions laid down by the present Code and a court decision.

Rome Statute

Article 109 Enforcement of fines and forfeiture measures

2. If a State Party is unable to give effect to an order for forfeiture, it shall take measures to recover the value of the proceeds, property or assets ordered by the Court to be forfeited, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties.