(a) No malt or brewed beverages shall be sold in or imported into the Commonwealth until and unless the manufacturer of such malt or brewed beverage has on file with the department and in full force and effect an approved bond, duly executed, payable to the Commonwealth, together with a warrant of attorney to confess judgment in a sum equal to the amount of his highest two month average tax liability during the last year prior to the time of giving bond, but in no event less than five thousand dollars ($5,000). All such bonds shall be conditioned upon the payment of the tax imposed by this article and shall have as surety a duly authorized surety company, or shall have deposited therewith, as collateral security, cash or negotiable obligations of the United States of America or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the same amount as herein provided for the penal sum of such bonds.

(b) In all cases where cash or securities in lieu of other surety have been deposited with the department, the depositor shall be permitted to continue the same deposit from year to year, but in no event shall he be permitted to withdraw his deposit during the time he holds a license, or until six months after the expiration of the license, if any, held by him, or while revocation proceedings are pending against such licensee, or while forfeiture proceedings are pending against the depositor's bond.

(c) All cash or securities received by the department in lieu of other surety shall be turned over by the department to the State Treasurer and held by him. The State Treasurer shall repay or return money or securities deposited with him to the respective depositors only on the order of the department.

(d) After notice from the department that such a bond has been forfeited, the State Treasurer shall immediately pay into the General Fund all cash deposited as collateral with such bond, and when securities have been deposited with such a bond, the State Treasurer shall sell at private sale, at not less than the prevailing market price, any such securities so deposited as collateral with any such forfeited bond. The State Treasurer shall thereafter deposit in the General Fund the net amount realized from the sale of such securities, except that if the amount so realized, after deducting proper costs and expenses, is in excess of the penal amount of the bond, such excess shall be paid over by him to the obligor on such forfeited bond.

(e) Every such bond shall be turned over to the Department of Justice to be collected if and when the depositor shall have been held liable for the unlawful nonpayment of taxes imposed by this article.