Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00155:section:203r
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00155
Segment Type: section
Provision Reference: s 203R
Character Range: 1310376–1311507

203R  Retention of things seized as evidential material
 (1) Subject to any law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory permitting the retention, destruction or disposal of a thing seized as evidential material by an officer of Customs under a search warrant or by an authorised person under subsection 203B(3), 203C(3), 203CA(4) or 203CB(3), the officer or authorised person must return it if:
 (a) the reason for its seizure no longer exists or it is decided that it is not to be used in evidence; or
 (b) 120 days after its seizure:
 (i) proceedings in respect of which the thing may afford evidence have not been started; and
 (ii) an order permitting the thing to be retained has not been made under section 203S; and
 (iii) an order of a court of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory permitting the retention, destruction or disposal of the thing has not been made;
whichever first occurs.
 (2) For the purposes of this section, the return of a thing requires its return to the person reasonably believed to be the owner of the thing in a condition as near as practicable to the condition in which it was seized.