And too often when the state confiscates the asset, the company collapses and the jobs are lost.

BBC: Italy tackles mafia-owned businesses

When he discovers fishermen catching these species, Kawerenga sometimes confiscates nets.

CNN: Rangers struggle to save endangered fish in Lake Malawi

He confiscates their cellphones so they can't alert anyone else.

FORBES: Food & Dining

It carries out raids, confiscates stock and prosecutes offenders.

ECONOMIST: Intellectual property

"Ofcom's proposed approach effectively confiscates our rights and donates them to organisations who have consistently declined to invest in sports rights despite having balance sheets that dwarf Sky's, " RFU chief executive Francis Baron said.

BBC: Sky told to cut wholesale prices by regulator Ofcom

But few of the 30, 000 Colombians who used to cross each day to shop do so now, because Venezuela's National Guard confiscates their goods when they recross the border, says Mr Uribe, the shopkeeper.

ECONOMIST: Hugo Ch��vez stamps out regional economic integration