For Immediate Release

Albuquerque, NM – The U.S. Marshals Service will be auctioning 22 vehicles, all of which were used in the facilitation of illegal activities or purchased with proceeds from illegal activities, on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Albuquerque. Vehicles offered for sale are a 2001 Freightliner Tractor, 2007 Jeep Compass, 2007 Pontiac G6, and a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche. Detailed photos of the vehicles are available at www.appletowing.com. The auction will take place:

Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at 10 a.m.
Apple Towing Company/Duggers Service
7601 San Pedro Drive
Albuquerque, NM 87109
www.appletowing.com

Preview times are Tuesday, May 17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Registration to participate in the auction can be done during preview hours.

Proceeds from U.S. Marshals’ auctions are used to compensate victims of crime and fund law enforcement initiatives. In addition, the funds are often shared with state and local law enforcement agencies that participated in the investigations leading to the forfeiture of the assets. “This important program enhances law enforcement cooperation between state, local and federal agencies, as well as strips criminals of their ill-gotten gains,” said New Mexico’s U.S. Marshal, Conrad Candelaria. The items up for auction once belonged to individuals and companies found guilty of crimes and ordered by a court of law to forfeit ill-gotten gains from their criminal activities.

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 can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.

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America’s Oldest Federal Law Enforcement Agency