Psychoactive Substances Act 2016

48 Offences in relation to enforcement officers

(1) A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, the person intentionally obstructs a relevant enforcement officer in the performance of any of the officer’s functions under sections 36 to 45.

(2) A person commits an offence if—

(a) the person fails without reasonable excuse to comply with a requirement reasonably made, or a direction reasonably given, by a relevant enforcement officer in the exercise of any power conferred by sections 37 to 45, or

(b) the person prevents any other person from complying with any such requirement or direction.

(3) In this section any reference to a relevant enforcement officer includes a reference to a person authorised under section 40(5) to accompany a relevant enforcement officer.

(4) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to either or both of the following—

(i) imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks (or 6 months, if the offence was committed before the commencement of section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003);

(ii) a fine;

(b) on summary conviction in Scotland, to either or both of the following—

(i) imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months;

(ii) a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale;

(c) on summary conviction in Northern Ireland, to either or both of the following—

(i) imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months;

(ii) a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.