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Criminal Law & Justice vocabulary · Police Investigation & Arrest

Seize

Meaning in criminal law & justice, with examples

/siːz/verbCommon term

In criminal law & justice, seize means: To take something away officially using legal powers, for example drugs, weapons, documents or money connected with a crime.

In Turkish: el koymak, ele geçirmek, zapt etmek

How it is used

Police, customs and courts seize items: 'drugs worth two million euros were seized', 'officers seized computers and phones'. The noun is 'seizure' ('a large drugs seizure'). Seized items are kept as evidence or may be 'confiscated' permanently after a conviction.

Example sentences

  1. Police seized three kilos of cocaine during the raid.

  2. His laptop was seized as part of the investigation.

  3. Customs officers made the biggest seizure of the year at the port.

Common collocations

  • seize drugs
  • seize evidence
  • seized goods
  • drugs seizure
  • seize assets
  • warrantAn official document signed by a judge that allows the police to do something, such as arrest a person or search a property.
  • evidenceInformation, objects, documents or testimony that a court can use to decide whether something is true, for example whether the defendant committed the crime.
  • drug traffickingThe crime of producing, transporting or selling illegal drugs, often in large amounts and across borders.
  • money launderingThe crime of hiding where illegal money came from by moving it through banks, businesses or other transactions so that it looks legal.

More terms: Police Investigation & Arrest

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.