Searches
9(1)An examining officer may examine goods to which this paragraph applies for the purpose of determining whether they have been used in connection with a person’s engagement in hostile activity.
(2)This paragraph applies to—
(a)goods which have arrived in or are about to leave Great Britain or Northern Ireland on a ship or vehicle, and
(b)goods which have arrived at or are about to leave any place in Great Britain or Northern Ireland on an aircraft (whether the place they have come from or are going to is within or outside Great Britain or Northern Ireland).
(3)The reference in sub-paragraph (2)(a) to goods which are about to leave Great Britain or Northern Ireland on a ship includes goods which—
(a)are held at premises operated by a sea cargo agent, and
(b)are to be delivered to a place in Great Britain or Northern Ireland for carriage on a ship.
(4)The reference in sub-paragraph (2)(b) to goods which are about to leave any place in Great Britain or Northern Ireland on an aircraft includes goods which—
(a)are held at premises operated by an air cargo agent, and
(b)are to be delivered to a place in Great Britain or Northern Ireland for carriage on an aircraft.
(5)An examination under this paragraph may be carried out only—
(a)at a port;
(b)at premises operated by a sea cargo agent or an air cargo agent;
(c)at a transit shed;
(d)at a designated examination location.
(6)For the purposes of determining whether to carry out an examination under this paragraph an examining officer may—
(a)board a ship or aircraft;
(b)enter premises operated by a sea cargo agent or an air cargo agent;
(c)enter a transit shed;
(d)enter a designated examination location.
(7)In this paragraph—
“air cargo agent” has the meaning given by section 21F(1) of the Aviation Security Act 1982;
“designated examination location” means a location designated by the Secretary of State under paragraph 9(2D) of Schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000;
“goods” includes property of any description and containers;
“sea cargo agent” has the meaning given by section 41(1) of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990;
“transit shed” has the meaning given by section 25A of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.