§ Â 611. Forfeiture of property involved in illegal food stamp transactions.

(a) The Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services or the Secretary’s designee may subject to forfeiture and denial of property rights any nonfood items, moneys, negotiable instruments, securities or other things of value that are furnished or intended to be furnished by any person in exchange for coupons, authorization cards, ATPs or anything of value obtained by the use of an access device, in any manner not authorized by the federal Food Stamp Act [7 U.S.C. § 2011 et seq.] or regulations issued pursuant to the Food Stamp Act.

(b) Any forfeiture and disposal of property under this section shall be conducted in accordance with procedures contained in regulations issued by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. Property forfeited under this section may be utilized by the Welfare Fraud Unit until such time as the forfeited property may be liquidated.

(c) Value received for liquidated property shall be appropriated to the Welfare Fraud Unit for its use at the discretion of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services or the Secretary’s designee.