(1) Despite the other provisions of this Act, where property is in the possession of a prescribed authority, whether in consequence of the seizure of the property or otherwise, and the prescribed authority is satisfied that there is a reasonable ground to suspect the property to be evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act, the prescribed authority may retain the property for a period of twelve months from the date it came into the prescribed authority's possession.

(2) If a person is within the twelve months period prosecuted for an offence under this Act and the property is or can be properly adduced in evidence, the property shall be retained by the prescribed authority until the prosecution has been determined.

(3) A prescribed authority is a person to whom power of the Bank is delegated, or on whom a function is conferred by this Act, including a police officer or an officer of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service.

(4) The powers conferred by this section in relation to property shall be in addition to and not in derogation from, any power otherwise exercisable in relation to that property.