35-7-114. Embargo.

(a) If the director has probable cause to believe that any food, drug, device, cosmetic or consumer commodity is adulterated or so misbranded as to be dangerous or fraudulent, within the meaning of this act, he shall affix a tag or other appropriate marking to the article giving notice that the article is or is suspected of being adulterated or misbranded and has been embargoed. The director shall release all other articles.

(b) If the director finds an article embargoed under subsection (a) of this section to be adulterated or misbranded, the director may immediately petition the district court for the county in which the article is embargoed to condemn the article, otherwise the tag or other marking shall be removed by the director or his agent.

(c) If the court finds that an embargoed article is adulterated or misbranded, the article, after entry of the decree, shall be destroyed at the owner's expense, under the supervision of the director or his agent. All court costs and fees, transportation costs, and storage and other proper expenses, shall be taxed against the owner of the article or his agent unless the adulteration or misbranding can be corrected by proper labeling or processing of the article. If so, the court, after entry of the decree and after costs, fees and expenses have been paid and a good and sufficient bond, conditioned that the article shall be correctly labeled or processed, has been executed, may by order direct delivery of the article to the owner for labeling or processing under the supervision of the director. The expense of supervision shall be paid by the owner. The article shall be returned to the owner and the bond shall be discharged on the representation to the court by the director that the article is no longer in violation of this act and that the expenses of supervision have been paid. Nothing in this section prevents the director from authorizing the owner of an adulterated or misbranded article from destroying it as the director prescribes.