Malaysia legislation

Section 37M

of Agricultural Produce Board Enactment 1981

Section 37M

Forfeiture or release of product, equipment, etc., seized

(2)

An order for the forfeiture of any product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing shall be made if it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that an offence under this

Enactment has been committed and that the product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing was the subject matter of or was used in the commission of the offence, even though no person may have been convicted of such offence.

(3)

If there is no prosecution with regard to any product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other seized under this Enactment, such product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing shall be taken and deemed to be forfeited at the expiration period of one calendar month from the date of service of a notice to the last known address of the person from whom the product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing was seized indicating that there is no prosecution in respect of such product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing unless before the expiration of that period a claim thereto is made in the manner set out in subsections (6), (7), (8) and (9).

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(4)

If no claim is made under subsection (6) within one calendar month from the date service of the notice referred to in subsection (3), the product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing seized under this Enactment shall be taken and deemed to be forfeited at the expiration of that period.

(5)

Where anything seized in exercise of the powers conferred under this Enactment is of a perishable nature or is subject to speedy and natural decay, the Board may direct such thing to be sold or destroyed at any time, and the proceeds of the sale held by the authorized officer to abide by the result of any prosecution under this Enactment.

(6)

Any person asserting that he is the owner of a product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing referred to in subsection (3) and that it is not liable to forfeiture may personally or by his agent authorized in writing, give written notice to the authorized officer in whose possession such product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing is held that he claims the product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing.

(7)

On receipt of the notice referred to in subsection (6), the authorized officer shall refer the claim to a Magistrate.

(8)

The Magistrate to whom a matter is referred to in subsection (7), shall issue a summons requiring –

(a)

the person asserting that he is the owner of the product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing; or

(b)

the person from whom the product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing was seized, to appear before him, and when they appear or they fail to appear, due service of the summons having been proved, the Magistrate shall proceed to the examination of the matter.

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(9)

If it is proved that an offence under this Enactment has been committed and that the product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing was the subject matter of or was used in the commission of such offence, the Magistrate shall order the product equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing to be forfeited, and shall, in the absence of such proof, order its release.

(10)

Any product, equipment, device, appliance, material, receptacle, package, conveyance, book, record, document, computerized data or other thing forfeited or deemed to be forfeited shall be delivered to the Board and shall be disposed of in such manner as the Board thinks fit.

No cost or damages arising from seizure to be recoverable