(1) Whenever the Department of Revenue discovers any cigarettes subject to tax under ORS § 323.005 to 323.482 and with respect to which the tax has not been paid or prepaid, if prepayment is required under ORS § 323.068, it is hereby authorized and empowered forthwith to seize and take possession of the untaxed cigarettes together with any vending machine or receptacle in which they are held for sale and any vehicle in which they are being transported. The seized cigarettes, vending machine, receptacle or vehicle, not including money contained in the vending machine or receptacle, shall be forfeited to the state, and the clear proceeds shall be deposited with the State Treasury in the Common School Fund. The department may, within a reasonable time thereafter, by public notice at least 20 days before the date of sale, sell the forfeited vending machines, receptacles and vehicles at public sale. Forfeited cigarettes constitute contraband cigarettes subject to ORS § 323.248.

Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 323.245

  • Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
  • public notice: means any legal publication which requires an affidavit of publication as required in ORS § 193. See Oregon Statutes 174.104
  • State Treasury: includes those financial assets the lawful custody of which are vested in the State Treasurer and the office of the State Treasurer relating to the custody of those financial assets. See Oregon Statutes 174.100

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the person from whom cigarettes were seized may redeem any vending machine, receptacle or vehicle seized at the time the cigarettes are seized, within 20 days from the date of seizure, by the payment of the tax due together with a penalty of 100 percent thereof and the costs incurred in the seizure proceeding, which total payment may not be less than $100. The seizure, sale or redemption does not relieve the person from fine or imprisonment as provided for violation of any provision of ORS § 323.005 to 323.482.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the owner of a seized vending machine, receptacle or vehicle shall have the right of redemption provided in subsection (2) of this section for a period of 60 days from the date of the seizure if the owner claims that right prior to the redemption provided for in subsection (2) of this section.

(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (1), (2) and (3) of this section, the owner of a vending machine that is seized for failure to comply with ORS § 323.211 may redeem the seized vending machine within a period of 60 days from the date of the seizure by the payment of $25 plus costs of $15 or the actual costs incurred in the seizure proceedings, whichever is greater. [1965 c.525 § 62; 1971 c.260 § 3; 1987 c.858 § 4; 2003 c.804 § 22]