Where currency is seized by the Snohomish county sheriff’s department as evidence that an act was committed which constitutes a violation of chapter 69.50 RCW, the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, or of any county ordinance relating to controlled substances, a judge of either the superior court or of the district justice court may order that currency or, any portion thereof, be paid directly to the fund established by this chapter as a fine, forfeiture, or penalty, PROVIDED That the person or persons who claim ownership of the currency, or any portion thereof, is convicted of a violation under chapter 69.50 RCW and the currency no longer has evidentiary value. Should the person or persons, from whom the currency or any portion thereof was seized, be convicted of such a violation and should such person or persons disavow ownership of the currency, it shall be ordered forfeited to the fund established in this chapter subject to its having no further evidentiary value.

In the event that there be no prosecution of the alleged violation for which purposes the seizure of currency was made, or in the event such a case is "closed" and there remains such currency in the custody of the Snohomish county sheriff’s department, such currency shall be returned to the person or persons from whom the money was seized in the same manner as with any other evidence. Should no valid claim to such seized currency be received, the notice provisions of chapter 63.40 RCW shall be used, PROVIDED That forfeiture to the fund established by this chapter shall occur instead of there being conducted an auction or other sale. Should two or more persons contest rights to ownership or possession, and there can be reached between said contesting persons no agreement for receipt of possession, there may be instituted the appropriate legal proceedings to determine rights of ownership or possession. (Amended by Ord. 80-051, Aug. 25, 1980).