LEE COUNTY, Fla. - Criminal cash. There's no shortage of it in Lee County.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office tells WINK News it seized more than $560,000 in criminal money during the last fiscal year, one of the highest amounts on record.

The office is now using the cash to fight back against crime.

The latest seizures will help pay for a $30,000 obstacle course at the gun range and equipment for the narcotics unit, according to LCSO Budget Director Bill Bergquist.

While he couldn't go into detail on what type of equipment it is, there is once piece of equipment you might notice on the road courtesy of local criminals.

More than 400 citation printers for patrol cars were delivered last week and they're being installed on 8 to ten cars a day.

The price tag: $220,000.

"They'll be able to see the tickets better and actually get into the system faster because now it'll go through and we won't have to re-key it once it gets to our records division," explained Bergquist, "So, It's actually going to save us time and money all the way through the operations and hopefully when it gets to the Clerk's Office as well."

Law requires 15-percent of the seized cash to go to charity.

It's coming at a good time for many charities hit hard by the economic slump.

"We've been cut quite a few funders because of the state and federal cuts, everybody has. So, it's pretty tough right now," said Jennifer Benton with Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. in Fort Myers.

ACT is set to receive a $25,000 cut. The Lee County Coalition for a Drug Free Southwest Florida will get the same.

"It may not seem like much to a lot of people, but we can stretch the dollars pretty far. They help support individual and group counseling for our clients at the crisis center. It also helps us buy food, so we make it go a long way," said Benton.

Bergquist tells us the Sheriff's Office will be giving out the criminal cash to more local charities this year than in any other given year.

At least 15 charities are benefiting, with others continuing to request assistance.

The checks are expected to be issued by December-January.