Beverages seized under this section may be forfeited to the state, and the secretary, agents, and court have specific duties in the seizure and forfeiture process.
§372. Seizure and forfeiture of beverages of high or low alcoholic content A. All beverages of high or low alcoholic content on which taxes are imposed by this Part found in the possession or custody or within the control of any person for the purpose of being handled in any way in violation of the provisions of this Chapter may be seized by the secretary, or his agent, in order to secure them for trial and shall be forfeited to the state in the manner provided in this Section. The secretary, or his agent making the seizure, shall appraise the value of the property seized according to his best judgment at its usual and ordinary retail price and shall deliver to the person found in possession thereof, if any, a receipt showing the fact of seizure, from whom seized, the place of seizure, the description of the goods seized, and the appraised value of such goods. A duplicate of the receipt shall be filed in the secretary's office. B. The proceeding to enforce this forfeiture shall be in the nature of a proceeding in rem in the court where the seizure is made. It shall be filed on behalf of the state by the secretary or his assistant and shall be summary process, tried in or out of term time, in open court or in chambers, and always by preference. It shall be directed against the owner of the articles seized, demanding the forfeiture and destruction of the property as a penalty for the violation of this Chapter. Service shall be made upon the owner of the seized articles if he is a resident of this state and his residence is known to the plaintiff in rule. Where it appears by affidavit that the residence of the owner of the seized articles is out of the state or is unknown to the secretary or his assistants, an attorney at law shall be appointed by the court to represent the owner, against whom the rule shall be tried contradictorily within ten days after the date of its filing. This affidavit may be made by the secretary or one of his assistants or by the attorney representing the secretary if it is inconvenient to obtain the affidavit from the secretary or one of his assistants. The attorney so appointed to represent the owner of the seized articles may waive service and citation of the petition or rule, but he shall not waive time nor any legal defense. C. If at any time it is established that, with respect to the articles under seizure, any provision of this Title has been violated in any cause, the court shall render judgment accordingly, maintaining the seizure, declaring the forfeiture of the seized property, and ordering the destruction thereof and shall dispose of any equipment including but not limited to vending machines, in accordance with the provisions thereof: (1) If the seized property is contraband, the court shall order the property destroyed if the court determines that its destruction is in the public interest; otherwise, Paragraph (2) of this Subsection shall apply. (2) If the seized property is contraband, and the court determines that it should not be destroyed, or if the owner of noncontraband property does not claim it within one year after its seizure, the court may order one of the following: (a) A sale of the property at a nonjudicial public sale or auction if the court concludes that such a sale will probably result in a bid greater than the cost of the sale. The proceeds of the sale shall be placed in the Louisiana Office of Alcoholic Beverage Enforcement Fund (R.S. 26:801) after compliance with the requirement of Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana relative to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund. (b) A transfer of the property to a public or a nonprofit institution, or may make such other court-ordered disposition as it deems appropriate. (3) Where the release of seized property is sought by a person claiming to be the owner, it shall be released only upon motion contradictorily with the clerk of the court. In all other cases the court may render an ex parte order for the disposition of the property as herein provided on motion of any interested person, or on its own motion, or the court may require a motion contradictorily with the apparent owner or the person in possession of the property at the time of the seizure. D. Payment of the tax due on the seized articles at the moment of seizure or thereafter does not prevent, abate, or defeat the forfeiture and destruction of the property. E. The court shall fix the fee of the attorney appointed by it to represent the owner of the seized articles at a nominal sum, to be taxed as costs and paid out of the proceeds of the sale of the property. Acts 1987, No. 696, §1; Acts 1992, No. 821, §1, eff. Sept. 1, 1992.