40.384—Disposal of forfeited, condemned, and abandoned cigarette papers and tubes.
Forfeited, condemned, or abandoned cigarette papers or tubes in the custody of a Federal, State, or local officer upon which the Federal tax has not been paid shall not be sold or caused to be sold for consumption in the United States if, in the opinion of the officer, the sale of such papers and tubes will not bring a price equal to the tax due and payable, and the expenses incident to the sale. Where the cigarette papers or tubes are not sold the officer may deliver them to a Federal or State institution (if they are fit for consumption) or cause their destruction by burning completely or by rendering them unfit for consumption. Where such papers or tubes are sold, release by the officer having custody shall be made only after such papers and tubes are properly packaged and taxpaid. A receipt from the appropriate TTB officer evidencing payment of tax on such papers or tubes shall be presented to the officer having custody of the articles, which tax shall be considered part of the sales price. Where cigarette papers or tubes which have been packaged under the provisions of part 45 of this chapter are to be released after payment of tax, the purchaser shall appropriately mark each package “Federal Tax Paid (date)” before the officer having custody of the papers or tubes releases them. However, the articles may be released without such marking of the packages if the purchaser is a qualified manufacturer of cigarette papers and tubes and does not intend to place such papers or tubes on the domestic market for taxable articles but will otherwise dispose of them. A written statement of notification of disposal by destruction or return to bond through claim for refund, shall be filed, in original only, with the officer having custody of the articles. In the case of cigarette papers and tubes forfeited under the internal revenue laws, the sale shall be subject to the provisions of part 72 of this chapter.