Countywide

San Diego County Sheriff John Duffy won new powers Tuesday to ease county acceptance of cash and property seized during drug-related enforcement actions.

The Board of Supervisors agreed to establish a special fund in the Sheriff’s Department budget to receive drug cash and property sale proceeds.

The assets are coming to the county under laws passed by Congress in 1984 and the state Legislature this year. The statutes allow federal and state law enforcement agencies to transfer assets seized in drug operations to local agencies that participate in the actions.

Duffy said that, so far this year, the county has received $341,000 in cash as well as three airplanes, three cars, a motorcycle, a semi and a speedboat. The property is worth a total of $189,000, Duffy said. A Valley Center home worth more than $300,000 is scheduled to be turned over to the county soon, he said. Until now, Duffy’s department has had to accept the cash and property through county procedures regulating the acceptance of gifts to the government.

The supervisors approved the change on a 5-0 vote without discussion.