Personal property, including drugs, not disposed of under § 9.1-1106, that has been submitted to the Department for analysis or examination and that has not been reclaimed by the agency submitting the property for analysis or examination, may be disposed of by the Department in accordance with this section if, after the expiration of 120 days after the receipt by the Department of the property, the Director notifies the circuit court of the county or city from which the property was taken, in writing, that the analysis or examination has been completed, and a report submitted to the agency that the property has not been reclaimed by the agency submitting it and that the Department proposes to dispose of the property. The notice shall state the nature of the property, the quantity thereof, the location where seized, the name of the accused, if known, and the proposed method of disposing of the property.

When the ownership of the property is known, a copy of the notice shall be sent simultaneously with the notice to the court to the owner, or, if any criminal charge is pending in any court relating to the property, the copy shall be sent to the accused at his last known address. Notice shall be by certified mail. The court, within 30 days after receipt of the notice, may direct that the property be disposed of by the Department, by an alternative method designed to preserve the property, at the expense of the agency submitting the property to the Department. If the court does not so direct within the 30-day period, then the Department may dispose of the property by the method set out in the notice. Copies of the analysis report and notice shall be made a part of the record of any criminal prosecution. The report, if sworn to, shall be admissible as evidence to the same extent as the disposed-of property would have been admissible.

2005, cc. 868, 881.