Confiscation and destruction of criminal instruments

A. (1) All law enforcement officers are hereby authorized to confiscate and dispose of any criminal instrument in accordance with the procedures provided for in R.S. 15:41. (2) If the criminal instrument is a firearm, it shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:1798. B. For purposes of this Section: (1) "Criminal instrument" refers to anything specially designed, made, adapted for use, or actually used in the commission of an offense, regardless of whether the possession, manufacture, or sale of the thing itself is unlawful and shall be considered contraband for purposes of Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution of Louisiana. (2) "Law enforcement officer" means any officer, as defined in R.S. 40:2402, and includes any constable, marshal, deputy marshal, sheriff, deputy sheriff, local or state police officer, commissioned wildlife enforcement agent, federal law enforcement officer, jail or prison guard, judge, attorney general, assistant attorney general, attorney general's investigator, inspector general, inspector general's investigator, district attorney, assistant district attorney, or district attorney's investigator. C. The provisions of this Section shall apply only to criminal instruments which are not to be used as evidence, are no longer needed as evidence, or are no longer necessary for judicial proceedings.