Customs Act 1660

c. 4.ante.

Persons conveying away Goods without Entry and Agreement for the Custom; Penalty.; Officer to break and enter Houses suspected.

BEE it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled That if any person or persons at any time after the first day of September One thousand six hundred and sixty shall cause any Goods for which Custome Subsidy or other dutyes are due or payable by vertue of the Act passed this Parliament Entituled (A Subsidy granted to the King of Tonnage and Poundage and other Summes of money payable upon Merchandize exported and imported) to be landed or conveyed away without due entry therof first made, and the Customer or Collector or his Deputy agreed with, That then and in such case upon Oath thereof made before the Lord Treasurer or any of the Barons of the Exchequer or cheife Magistrate of the Port or Place where the offence shall be committed, or the place next adjoyning therunto, it shall be lawfull to and for the Lord Treasurer or any of the Barons aforesaid or cheife Magistrate of the Port or Place where the offence shall be commited or the Place next adjoyning therunto to issue out a Warrant to any person or person thereby enableing him or them with the assistance of a Sheriffe Justice of Peace or Constable to enter into any House in the day time where such Goods are suspected to be concealed, and in case of resistance to breake open such Houses, and to seize and secure the same goods soe concealed, And all Officers and Ministers of Justice are hereby required to be aiding and assisting therunto.

II. Limitation of Entry.

Provided alwayes That noe House shall be entred by vertue of this Act unlesse it be within the space of one moneth after the offence supposed to be commited.

III. Continuance of Act.

Provided alsoe That this Act shall continue in Force[X1 until] the end of the first Session of the next Parliament and noe longer.

Editorial Information

X1 Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: unto O. [O. refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]

IV. Damages and Costs against false Informers.

Provided alsoe That if the Information wherupon any House shall come to be searched shall prove to be false, that then and in such case the party injured shall recover his full damages and costs against the Informer by Action of Trespasse to bee therefore brought against such Informer.