§ 20-49.3. Bureau of License and Theft; custody of seized vehicles.
§ 20‑49.3. Bureau ofLicense and Theft; custody of seized vehicles.
(a) Vehicles Seized bythe Division of Motor Vehicles. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,the Division of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of License and Theft, may retain anyvehicle seized by the Division of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of License and Theft,in the course of any investigation authorized by the provisions of G.S. 20‑49or G.S. 20‑49.1 and forfeited to the Division by a court of competentjurisdiction.
(b) Vehicles Seized bythe United States Government. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, theDivision may accept custody and ownership of any vehicle seized by the UnitedStates Government, forfeited by a court of competent jurisdiction, and turnedover to the Division.
(c) Use of Vehicles. Allvehicles forfeited to, or accepted by, the Division pursuant to this sectionshall be used by the Bureau of License and Theft to conduct undercoveroperations and inspection station compliance checks throughout the State.
(d) Disposition ofSeized Vehicles. Upon determination by the Commissioner of Motor Vehiclesthat a vehicle transferred pursuant to the provisions of this section is of nofurther use to the agency for use in official investigations, the vehicle shallbe sold as surplus property in the same manner as other vehicles owned by thelaw enforcement agency and the proceeds from the sale after deducting the costof sale shall be paid to the treasurer or proper officer authorized to receivefines and forfeitures to be used for the school fund of the county in thecounty in which the vehicle was seized, provided, that any vehicle transferredto any law enforcement agency under the provisions of this Article that hasbeen modified to increase speed shall be used in the performance of officialduties only and not for resale, transfer, or disposition other than as junk.The Division shall also reimburse the appropriate county school fund for anydiminution in value of any vehicle seized under subsection (a) of this section duringits period of use by the Division. Any vehicle seized outside of this Stateshall be sold as surplus property in the same manner as other vehicles owned bythe law enforcement agency and the proceeds from the sale after deducting thecost of sale shall be paid to the treasurer and placed in the Civil Fines andForfeitures Fund established pursuant to G.S. 115C‑457.1. (2009‑495, s. 1.)