Section 50

An order for the forfeiture of the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article shall be made if it is proved to the satisfaction of the court that an offence under this Act has been committed and that the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article was the subject-matter of or was used in the commission of the offence, even though no person has been convicted of such offence.

If there is no prosecution with regard to any pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or any conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article seized under this Act, such pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or any conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article shall be taken and deemed to be forfeited at the expiration of a period of one calendar month from the date of service of a notice to the last known address of the person from whom the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or any conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article was seized indicating that there is no prosecution in respect of such pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or any conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article unless before the expiration of that period a claim thereto is made in the manner set out in subsections (4), (5), (6) and (7).

Any person asserting that he is the owner of the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or of the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article 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 pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article is held that he claims the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article.

On receipt of the notice referred to in subsection (4), the authorized officer shall refer the matter to the Director General who may direct that the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds

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of sale thereof, or the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article be released or may direct the authorized officer, by information in writing, to refer the matter to a Magistrate.

The Magistrate to whom a matter is referred under subsection

shall issue a summons requiring the Board and the person asserting that he is the owner of the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or of the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article and the person from whom it was seized to appear before the

Magistrate, 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.

If it is proved that an offence under this Act has been committed and that the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article referred to in subsection (6)

was the subject-matter of or was used in the commission of such offence, the Magistrate shall order the pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or the conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article to be forfeited, and shall, in the absence of such proof, order its release.

Any pepper or pepper product or the proceeds of sale thereof, or any conveyance, machinery, contrivance, equipment, book, record, document or other article forfeited or deemed to be forfeited shall be delivered to the authorized officer and shall be disposed of in accordance with the directions of the

Magistrate.

The Board shall not be liable to any person for any deterioration, no matter how arising, in the quality of any pepper or pepper product seized under this Act.

Property in forfeited pepper, etc.