(1)Proceedings for an offence under section 1 shall not be instituted—
(a)in England and Wales, except by or with the consent of the Attorney General;
(b)in Northern Ireland, except by or with the consent of the Attorney General for Northern Ireland.
(2)The court by or before which a person is convicted of an offence under section 1 may order that anything shown to the court’s satisfaction to relate to the offence shall be forfeited, and either destroyed or otherwise dealt with in such manner as the court may order.
(3)In particular, the court may order the thing to be dealt with as the Secretary of State may see fit; and in such a case the Secretary of State may direct that it be destroyed or otherwise dealt with.
(4)Where—
(a)the court proposes to order anything to be forfeited under this section, and
(b)a person claiming to have an interest in it applies to be heard by the court,
the court must not order it to be forfeited unless he has been given an opportunity to show cause why the order should not be made.