The money has been given to the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice.

PSNI has raised money for charity by auctioning vehicles seized by the Paramilitary Crime Task Force.

More than £1,500 has been gifted to the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice after two cars were auctioned.

Both cars were seized in Belfast and linked to criminality.

The Paramilitary Crime Task Force is a multi-agency taskforce set up to tackle all forms of criminality linked to paramilitarism – it consists of the PSNI, the NCA and HM Revenue and Customs.

A report released in October revealed a reduction in the number of paramilitary incidents across the last financial year.

ACC Mark McEwan said at the time that the statistics were indicative of “some success in the long-term efforts”.

In 2021/22, 115 people were arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 – this was an increase of 10 from the year before. 17 of those were charged.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Hill, Head of Organised Crime Branch, said: “Paramilitaries make a living from crime, using a regime of fear and violence to exercise control over the most vulnerable in our society. 

“We, along with our partner organisations, are committed to tackling such criminal activities – from money-lending to drug-dealing – and their harrowing effects.

“We had a heartening opportunity to turn something negative, in the form of assets linked with crime, into something really positive [...] we’ve raised £1,504 that we have been able to provide to the Children’s Hospice, as a chosen charity.”