26Seizure

#### 26 Seizure (1) An authorized officer may seize: (a) any meat that the authorized officer believes on reasonable grounds is meat in respect of which an offence against this Act has been committed; and (b) any matter or thing that the authorized officer believes on reasonable grounds will afford evidence of the commission of an offence against this Act; and may retain the meat, or the matter or thing, until the expiration of a period of 60 days after the seizure or, if proceedings for such an offence in respect of the meat, or in respect of which the matter or thing may afford evidence, are instituted within that period, until the proceedings (including any appeal to a court in relation to those proceedings) are terminated. (2) The power under subsection (1) to seize meat includes a power to seize any covering in which the meat is contained. (3) The Secretary may authorize any meat, or any matter or thing, seized under subsection (1) to be released to the owner, or to the person from whose possession the meat, matter or thing was seized, either unconditionally or on such conditions as the Secretary thinks fit, including, in the case of meat, conditions as to the giving of security for payment of the value of the meat if it is forfeited under section 30.