What does TABC §103.06 require regarding seized beverages?

• A. Keep the seized beverages in a secure office safe.
• B. Deliver seized beverages and related property to the sheriff of the county where seized.
• C. Destroy all seized beverages immediately.
• D. Return to the licensee if no charges are filed.

Answer: (B)

When a beverage is seized, proper handling and preservation of evidence are essential, so the rule focuses on who holds custody of the seized items. The required action is to deliver the seized beverages and any related property to the sheriff of the county where the seizure occurred. This places the items in official law-enforcement custody, ensuring an appropriate chain of custody, secure storage, and handling according to legal procedures. It also supports any forthcoming court or administrative actions, such as forfeiture or disposition, rather than allowing the items to be kept by a non-official office, destroyed, or returned to the licensee without due process.

Keeping the items in a personal or non-official secure location would not provide the official chain of custody the law expects. Destroying them immediately would bypass due process and potential evidentiary needs. Returning them to the licensee if no charges are filed would circumvent the formal process and the sheriff’s jurisdiction over seized property.