48. A judge convicting a defendant under this Act may, on the application of the Minister, order the defendant to pay the costs fixed by regulation in respect of the seizure and preservation of any thing seized under section 40.1 or 40.3.
However, the judge may reduce the amount if he is convinced that the Minister unduly delayed instituting proceedings or caused the commencement of proceedings to be delayed without sufficient cause.
On an application of the Minister made within 30 days after a judgment has been rendered in proceedings to impose a penal sanction for an offence under this Act or, in cases where the defendant is deemed to have been convicted of the offence, within 90 days after service of the statement of offence, a judge may also order, in cases where a defendant has been convicted of, or is deemed to have been convicted of, an offence under this Act, in addition to any penalty otherwise prescribed for the offence, the confiscation of any thing seized under section 40.1 or 40.3, of the deposit referred to in section 40.4 or of the proceeds referred to in section 40.5.
Prior notice of not less than one clear day of an application under this section shall be served on the defendant, on the person from whom the thing was seized and on the persons claiming a right in the thing seized or in the proceeds referred to in section 40.5, except where they are in the presence of the judge.
Where the confiscation of a thing seized under section 40.1 or 40.3 is ordered, the judge may, on the application of the Minister, authorize the Minister to destroy the thing.
1972, c. 30, s. 53; 1986, c. 18, s. 8; 1991, c. 15, s. 23; 1996, c. 31, s. 43.