81-5-104. Stolen livestock -- seizure and forfeiture of vehicle and certain other property used in theft or transportation. (1) The use of a vehicle, money, equipment, or personalty for the theft or transportation of a stolen mule, horse, mare, colt, foal, filly, sheep, lamb, cow, calf, heifer, steer, bull, llama, alpaca, domestic bison, hogs, poultry, ostrich, rhea, emu, or the products of stolen livestock is unlawful. Any vehicle, money, equipment, or personalty used for the theft or unlawful transportation or upon probable cause believed to be devoted wholly or in part to the theft or unlawful transportation must be seized and held.

(2) Within 45 days after the seizure, a peace officer or officer of the agency that seizes the property shall file a petition to institute forfeiture proceedings with the clerk of the district court of the county in which the seizure occurs. The clerk shall issue a summons at the request of the petitioning party, who shall serve the summons upon all owners or claimants of the property by one of the following methods:

(a) upon an owner or claimant whose address is known, by personal service of a copy of the petition and summons as provided in the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure;

(b) upon an owner or claimant whose address is unknown but who is believed to have an interest in the property, by publication of the summons in one issue of a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the seizure occurred or, if there is no newspaper of general county circulation, by publication in one issue of a newspaper of general circulation in an adjoining county and by mailing a copy of the petition and summons to the most recent address of the owner or claimant, if any, shown in the records of the division of motor vehicles.

(3) A vehicle is not subject to forfeiture under this section if:

(a) it is a stolen vehicle at the time it is used for unlawful transportation; or

(b) the vehicle owner is not in collusion with the party or parties guilty of the theft.