44-12-103. When property may be seized. - Montana Statutes

     44-12-103. When property may be seized. (1) A peace officer who has probable cause to make an arrest for a violation of Title 45, chapter 9, probable cause to believe that a conveyance has been used or is intended to be used to unlawfully transport a controlled substance, or probable cause to believe that a conveyance has been used to keep, deposit, or conceal a controlled substance shall seize the conveyance used or intended to be used or any conveyance in which a controlled substance is unlawfully possessed by an occupant. A peace officer shall immediately deliver a conveyance that the officer seizes to the offices of the officer's law enforcement agency, to be held as evidence until forfeiture is declared or release ordered.
     (2) All property subject to forfeiture under 44-12-102 may be seized by a peace officer under a search warrant issued by a district court having jurisdiction over the property. Seizure without a warrant may be made if:
     (a) the seizure is incident to an arrest or a search under a search warrant issued for another purpose or an inspection under an administrative inspection warrant;
     (b) the property subject to seizure has been the subject of a prior judgment in favor of the state in a criminal proceeding or a forfeiture proceeding based on this chapter;
     (c) the peace officer has probable cause to believe that the property is directly or indirectly dangerous to health or safety; or
     (d) the peace officer has probable cause to believe that the property was used or is intended to be used in violation of Title 45, chapter 9, or in violation of Title 45, chapter 10, part 1.

     History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 529, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 481, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 489, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1632, Ch. 56, L. 2009.