N.Y. General Business Law Section 270
Unlawful detention of milk cans

No person shall, without the consent of the owner or shipper, or his agent, use, sell, dispose of, buy or traffic in any can, irrespective of its condition, or the use to which it may have been applied, belonging to any dealer in or shipper of milk or cream in this state or which may be shipped to any town, village or city in the state, which can has the name or initials of such owner, dealer or shipper stamped, marked or fastened thereupon, or wilfully mar, erase or change by re-marking or otherwise such name or initials. If any person, without the consent of such owner, dealer or shipper, or his agent, uses, sells, disposes of, buys, traffics in or has in his possession or under his control any such can, it shall be presumptive evidence that such use, sale, disposal, purchase, traffic or possession is unlawful. Any such owner, dealer or shipper, or his agent, may take possession of any can used in violation of this article wherever found, and if filled or partly filled with milk or cream, and the person in whose possession it is found does not, when requested, immediately empty the same, such owner, dealer or shipper, or his agent, may empty the same into the street or elsewhere, and shall not be liable for damages for any act done pursuant to the provisions of this article.

Source: Section 270 — Unlawful detention of milk cans, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/GBS/270 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Feb. 7, 2026).

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Verified:
Feb. 7, 2026

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 270. Unlawful detention of milk cans's source at nysenate​.gov

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