Confiscated goods

I refer to the letter Seized Items (June 6).

The actions taken by Customs regarding seized goods vary according to the circumstances which had led to the seizure of the goods in question as well as to the types of good and their nature.

When perishable goods are seized these are disposed of immediately, generally by donating them to charitable institutions after being certified by the health authorities that the items are fit for human consumption. If they are unfit they would be destroyed. Surely they would not be left to rot.

The Customs authorities do auction goods seized after each case is decided by the courts. In fact a number of auction sales are organised by customs every year.

Certain seized goods are also donated to other departments especially the police and the armed forces for use by irregular immigrants.

With regard to counterfeit goods, the system is different since customs would be only acting on behalf of the legal right holder of that particular item. Since Malta is a signatory to the IPR convention (Cross Border Measures) all counterfeit goods are destroyed in accordance with the decision of the law courts, and when possible recycled.