Some definitions:
Relevant property is simply property which is needed to satisfy an
external order which may be or has been made.
An overseas authority includes any authority which has the
responsibility for making a request to an authority to prohibit dealing
with property or for carrying out an investigation into whether property
has been obtained from criminal conduct.
Criminal conduct is conduct which would constitute an offence in the
UK if it occurred there.
The external order must have been made by an overseas court. Noncourt
orders such as "administrative" confiscation orders made by
police officers and similar authorities are excluded from this scheme.
The definition of an external request or order is therefore (deliberately) wide.
So long as it is a request or order in relation to the recovery of the
proceeds of crime it immaterial what kind of court proceedings the external
request or order is made in. The definition is apt to cover requests and orders
arising out of criminal proceedings, civil proceedings or some other court
proceedings. It would even include US civil forfeiture orders where the
proceedings are unconnected to any criminal proceedings, subject of course
to the forfeiture order being made where property is believed or found to be
the proceeds of crime. Furthermore, external orders falling within this
definition may be effected, that is to say, enforced, whether they are orders for
the recovery of particular tainted property or orders for specified sums of
money that may be satisfied out of any property, legally or illegally obtained