§ 4-124. Detention of carcass or meat food product

   (a) Grounds for detention. -- The Secretary may detain for no more than 20 days any livestock carcass, part of, or meat food product; any product exempted from the definition of meat food product; or any dead, dying, disabled, or diseased livestock the Secretary finds on premises where it is held for distribution, or during or after distribution, if the article is capable of use as human food and there is reason to suspect that:

   (1) It is adulterated or misbranded;

   (2) The article has not been inspected pursuant to this subtitle or any other State or federal law; or

   (3) The article has been or is intended to be distributed in violation of this subtitle or any other State or federal law.

(b) Detention pending condemnation proceedings. -- The article shall be detained pending condemnation proceedings or notification of any federal or other governmental authority having jurisdiction over the article. No person may remove any detained article until the Secretary releases it.

(c) Removal of official marks. -- The Secretary may require all official marks to be removed from the article before it is released unless he decides the article is eligible to retain the marks.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 66C, § 470S; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 6, § 1.