Seizure of goods

(1) It shall be lawful for the Controller of Supplies, Senior Price Control Officer, Price Control Officer or officer of Customs to take possession of any goods which he has cause to suspect were imported or an attempt was being made to import or export them other than under and in accordance with the provisions of a licence issued by the Controller of Supplies and shall take the same before a Magistrate. (2) The Magistrate before whom such goods are brought shall forthwith inquire whether the officer who took the goods into possession had reasonable cause for so doing and if the suspicion of the officer appears to him to have been reasonable, he shall direct that the person in whose possession the goods were found or the owner thereof or any person making claim thereto or all of them, be summoned to appear before him at such time and place as to him shall seem appropriate to show cause why the goods should not be forfeited. (3) After hearing the accounts of the person or persons so summoned and their witnesses and after examining other supporting evidence the Magistrate if he is satisfied that the goods were imported or an attempt was being made to import or export them lawfully shall order the return of the same to the person entitled to possession thereof, and if he is not so satisfied he shall order the same forfeited and shall direct that the same be delivered to the Controller of Supplies who shall dispose of them in such manner as he shall deem fit.