s 32 Removal and sale of property and materials
32.—(1) Any property or materials removed and detained by the competent authority in the exercise of the competent authority’s powers under section 31 may be sold or otherwise disposed of unless a claim is made by the person to whom the property or materials belong within 2 weeks of the removal, in which case the property or materials may, subject to subsection (2), be returned to the person to whom they belong on such terms and conditions as the competent authority may impose. (2) Any property or materials which have been removed and detained by the competent authority under section 31 must not be returned to the person to whom they belong except upon the person having paid all the expenses incurred, directly or indirectly, by the competent authority in removing and detaining the property or materials or such part of those expenses as the competent authority determines. (3) Where the competent authority sells any property or materials under subsection (1), the competent authority is entitled to deduct from the proceeds of the sale all or any of the costs and expenses incurred, directly or indirectly, by the competent authority in respect of the removal, detention and sale of the property or materials and the balance (if any) must be paid on demand to the person to whom the property or materials belong. (4) Any proceeds of sale of property or materials under this section not claimed within 2 years of the sale must be paid into the Consolidated Fund.