Mr Henry said small-time criminals and drug dealers would be targeted

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Poca) enabled police and customs officers to seize money suspected to be the profits of crime or intended for use in crime.

The minimum cash-seizure threshold has now been lowered from �5,000 to �1,000.

It aims to tackle those who have sought to transport tainted cash in amounts just below the previous threshold in order to evade the Poca provisions.

Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry said: "We are determined to continue using the powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to disrupt criminal activity.

We will show that while a life of crime may have short-term attractions it will no longer be an easy way to make cash Lord Boyd Lord Advocate

"Reducing the threshold so officers can seize cash of stashes of at least �1,000 will allow the police to target local drug dealers and other small-time criminals whose activities destroy lives and blight communities."

Nearly �10m of criminal assets has been recovered in Scotland since the act came into force in 2003.

"Criminals should be in no doubt - the net is continuing to widen over the ill-gotten gains of those who seek to profit from the misery of others," Mr Henry said.

The Lord Advocate, Lord Boyd, said: "We will use the full powers available to us under the act to ensure that crime does not pay.

"In communities across Scotland we will identify and recover the proceeds of crime, and show that while a life of crime may have short-term attractions it will no longer be an easy way to make cash.