It shall be the duty of the attorney general or each prosecuting attorney to whom any violation of chapter 411 is reported to cause appropriate proceedings to be instituted and prosecuted in a court of competent jurisdiction without delay. Before a violation is reported for prosecution, the director may give the warehouseman an opportunity to present his views at an informal hearing. In the event the director determines that a prosecutor to whom a violation has been reported has failed to institute appropriate proceedings, he may make a written report of the failure to institute proceedings to the attorney general. The attorney general shall investigate the circumstances which resulted in the report. If the attorney general determines that additional proceedings are appropriate, he may cause such proceedings to be instituted. When the attorney general causes such a proceeding to be instituted, he shall have all the powers and rights of the office of the prosecuting attorney to whom the violation was originally reported. Such powers and rights are restricted to the prosecution of the specific case reported.