8Seizure of prohibited animals and prohibited goods

8 Seizure of prohibited animals and prohibited goods

(1) A police officer may, where he has reason to believe that an animal is a prohibited animal or that goods are prohibited goods, seize the animal or the goods. (2) Where a police officer seizes an animal or goods pursuant to subsection (1), he shall: (a) give notice in writing forthwith to the importer of the seizure; and (b) lodge a copy of the notice with the Chief Clerk of the Magistrate’s Court. (3) The notice referred to in subsection (2) shall specify the reasons for the belief by the police officer that the animal is a prohibited animal or that the goods are prohibited goods and shall require the importer to show cause before the Magistrate’s Court within a specified period, being a period of not less that 7 days after the seizure of the animal or the goods, why the Court should not: (a) declare that the animal is a prohibited animal or that the goods are prohibited goods; (b) order that the animal or the goods declared to be a prohibited animal or prohibited goods are forfeited; and (c) direct that the forfeited animal or the forfeited goods shall be destroyed or otherwise dealt with as the Court determines. (4) Where an importer does not, within the time specified in the notice referred to in subsection (2), show cause before the Magistrate’s Court why an animal or goods should not be dealt with by the Court as provided by paragraphs (3)(a), (b) and (c), the police officer who seized the animal or the goods shall be entitled to apply to the Court to have the animal or the goods dealt with in accordance with paragraphs (3)(a), (b) and (c).