163.
| (1) Where, upon information of an offence under this part, a Magistrate has issued either a summons requiring the person charged by such information to appear to answer to the same, or a warrant for the arrest of such parson, and either the said Magistrate on or after issuing the summons or warrant, or any other Magistrate, is satisfied by. information on oath that there Is reasonable cause to suspect that any goods or things by means of, or in relation to, which such offence has been committed are in any house or premises of the person charged by such information, or otherwise in his possession or under his control, in any place, such Magistrate may issue a. warrant under his hand, by virtue of which it shall be lawful for any police officer, or other person named or referred to in the warrant, to enter such house, premises, or place at any reasonable time by day, and to search therefor and seize and take away such goods or things ; and any goods or things seized under any such warrant shall be brought before a Magistrate's Court for the purpose of its being determined whether the same are or are not liable to forfeiture under this Part. |
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| (2) If the owner of any goods or things which, if the owner thereof had been convicted, would be liable to forfeiture under this Part, is unknown or cannot be found, an information or complaint may be laid for the purpose only of enforcing such forfeiture, and a Magistrate's Court may cause notice to be adveitised stating that, unless cause is shown to the contrary at the time and place named in the notice, such goods or things will be forfeited, and at such time and place the Court, unless the owner or any person on his behalf, or other person interested in the goods or things, shows sufficient cause to the contrary, may order such goods or things or any of them to be forfeited, and every such order shall be subject to appeal |
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| (3) Any goods or things forfeited under this section, or under any other provisions of this Part may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of in such manner as the Court by which the same are forfeited may direct, and such Court may, out of any proceeds which may be realized by the disposition of such goods (all marks and trade descriptions being first obliterated), award to any innocent party any loss he may have innocently sustained in dealing with such goods. |
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Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts