21Retention and return of seized property

21 Retention and return of seized property

(1) The authorised person may retain anything seized under section 19: (a) for 60 days after seizure; or (b) if proceedings in which the thing may afford evidence are commenced within that period, until the proceedings (including any appeal) are completed or terminated. (2) The Minister may authorise anything seized under section 19 to be released to the owner, or to the person from whose possession the thing was seized, either unconditionally or on such conditions as are specified in the authority. (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to anything while it is being held by a court as evidence in proceedings. (4) Where anything seized is a book, record or document, the authorised person must, while the authorised person has possession of the book, record or document, allow it to be inspected at any reasonable time by a person who would be entitled to inspect it if it were not in the authorised person’s possession.