§ 24:21-12 — Denial, revocation, or suspension of registration.

12. Denial, revocation, or suspension of registration. a. A registration pursuant to section 11 of P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-11) to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled dangerous substance, may be suspended or revoked by the director upon a finding that the registrant: (1) Has materially falsified any application filed pursuant to P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, or required by P.L.1970, c.226, as amended and supplemented; or (2) Has been convicted of an indictable offense under P.L.1970, c.226, as amended and supplemented, or any law of the United States, or of any State, relating to any substance defined herein as a controlled dangerous substance; or (3) Has violated or failed to comply with any duly promulgated regulation of the director and such violation or failure to comply reflects adversely on the licensee's reliability and integrity with respect to controlled dangerous substances; or (4) Has had his federal registration suspended or revoked by competent federal authority and is no longer authorized by federal law to engage in the manufacturing, distribution, or dispensing of controlled dangerous substances; or (5) Has had his registration suspended or revoked by competent authority of another state for violation of its laws or regulations comparable to those of this State relating to the manufacture, distribution or dispensing of controlled dangerous substances. b. The director may limit revocation or suspension of a registration to the particular controlled dangerous substance with respect to which grounds for revocation or suspension exist. c. Before taking action pursuant to this section or pursuant to a denial of registration under section 11 of P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-11), the director shall serve upon the applicant or registrant an order to show cause why registration should not be denied, revoked, or suspended. The order to show cause shall contain a statement of the basis thereof and shall call upon the applicant or registrant to appear before the director at a time and place stated in the order, but in no event less than 30 days after the date of receipt of the order unless an earlier date is requested by the applicant or registrant and agreed to by the director. Proceedings to deny, revoke, or suspend shall be conducted pursuant to this section in accordance with the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.). Such proceedings shall be independent of, and not in lieu of, criminal prosecutions or other proceedings under P.L.1970, c.226, as amended and supplemented, or any law of the State. d. The director may, in his discretion, suspend any registration simultaneously with the institution of proceedings under this section in cases where he finds that there is an imminent danger to the public health or safety. Such suspensions shall continue in effect until the conclusion of such proceedings, including judicial review thereof, unless sooner withdrawn by the director or dissolved by a court of competent jurisdiction. e. In the event the director suspends or revokes a registration granted under section 11 of P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-11), all controlled dangerous substances owned or possessed by the registrant pursuant to such registration at the time of suspension or the effective date of the revocation order, as the case may be, may in the discretion of the director be placed under seal. No disposition may be made of substances under seal until the time for taking an appeal has elapsed or until all appeals have been concluded unless a court, upon application therefor, orders the sale of perishable substances and the deposit of the proceeds of the sale with the court. Upon a revocation order becoming final, all such controlled dangerous substances may be forfeited to the State. f. The director shall promptly notify the Drug Enforcement Administration of all orders suspending or revoking registration and all forfeitures of controlled dangerous substances. L.1970, c.226, s.12; amended 2007, c.244, s.11.