Authority to detain meats

Whenever carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat, meat food product or poultry product of cattle, sheep, poultry, swine, goats, horses, mules or other equines, or any product exempted from the definition of meat food product or poultry product, or any dead, dying, disabled or diseased animal or fowl described above is found by any authorized representative of the commissioner upon any premises where it is held for purposes of, or during or after distribution in intrastate commerce, and there is reason to believe that any such article is adulterated or misbranded and is capable of use as human food, or that it has not been inspected, in violation of the provisions of this Chapter or of the Federal Meat Inspection Act* or the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act,** or that such article or animal has been or is intended to be, distributed in violation of any such provisions, it may be detained by such representative for a period not to exceed twenty days, pending action under R.S. 3:4225 or notification of any federal authorities having jurisdiction over such article or animal, and shall be moved by any person, entity, firm, or corporation from the place at which it is located when so detained, until released by such representative. All official marks may be required by such representative to be removed from such article or animal before it is released unless it appears to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the article or animal is eligible to retain such marks. Acts 1968, No. 376, §22. Amended by Acts 1970, No. 615, §1; Acts 1985, No. 73, §1; Acts 2009, No. 24, §1, eff. June 12, 2009. *21 U.S.C.A. §71 et seq. (Transferred; see now, 21 U.S.C.A. §601 et seq.). **21 U.S.C.A. §301 et seq.