Stamp Duties Management Act 1891

18 Licensed person in possession of forged stamps to be presumed guilty until contrary is shown

(1) If any forged stamps are found in the possession of any person appointed to sell and distribute stamps, or being or having been licensed to deal in stamps, that person shall be deemed and taken, unless the contrary is satisfactorily proved, to have had the same in his possession knowing them to be forged, and with intent to sell, use, or utter them, and shall be liable to the punishment imposed by law upon a person selling, using, uttering, or having in possession forged stamps knowing the same to be forged.

(2) If the Commissioners have cause to suspect any such person of having in his possession any forged stamps, they may by warrant under their hands authorise any person to enter between the hours of nine in the morning and seven in the evening into any house, room, shop, or building of or belonging to the suspected person, and if on demand of admittance, and notice of the warrant, the door of the house, room, shop, or "building, or any inner door thereof, is not opened, the authorised person may break open the same and search for and seize any stamps that may be found therein or in the custody or possession of the suspected person.

(3) All officers of the peace are hereby required, upon request by any person so authorised, to aid and assist in the execution of the warrant.

(4) Any person who—

(a) Refuses to permit any such search or seizure to be made as aforesaid; or

(b) Assaults, opposes, molests, or obstructs any person so authorised in the due execution of the powers conferred by this section or any person acting in his aid or assistance,

and any officer of the peace who upon any such request as aforesaid, refuses or neglects to aid and assist any person so authorised in the due execution of his powers shall incur a fine of fifty pounds.