10.—(1) Where anything is seized under this Act, the officer who carried out the seizure must immediately give notice in writing of the seizure to the owner of that thing, if known, either by delivering the notice personally to the owner or by post at his or her place of residence, if known.
(2) A notice under subsection (1) is not required to be given where the seizure is made in the presence of the offender or the owner or the owner’s agent.
(3) An order for the forfeiture of any article liable to seizure is to be made if it is proved to the satisfaction of a court that an offence under this Act has been committed and that such article was the subject matter of or was used in the commission of the offence even though no person may have been convicted of that offence.
(4) If there is no prosecution with regard to any article seized under this Act, that article is deemed to be forfeited on the expiry of one month from the date of seizure thereof unless a claim thereto has been made before that date in such manner as may be prescribed.