Section 59: Initial retention of seized substances
239.Subsection (1) enables any suspected drug-cutting agents seized under section 55 or 56 to be retained for an initial period of 30 days. This period affords the law enforcement agency which seized the substance and the owner of the substance adequate time to gather evidence to support continued detention or to demonstrate that the substance is held legitimately.
240.Subsection (2) provides for the detention for up to 30 days of suspected drug-cutting agents where the substance was originally seized under powers conferred under another enactment and the power to retain the substance under that enactment has lapsed. For example, a police officer has a general power of seizure under section 19 of PACE where he or she has reasonable grounds for believing that the thing seized has been obtained in consequence of the commission of an offence or that it is evidence in relation to an offence which he or she is investigating or any other offence. If it is subsequently decided that there is to be no, or no further, criminal investigation, the substance could no longer be retained under PACE. Subsection (2) would allow the substance to be retained for up to 30 days following the decision to discontinue the criminal investigation.
