Customs and Excise Management Act 1979

28 Officers’ powers of access, etc. U.K.

(1) Without prejudice to section 27 above, the proper officer shall have free access to every part of any ship or aircraft at a port or [F1 aerodrome] and [F2 of any other vehicle] [F3 which falls within paragraphs (a) to (f) of subsection (1) of section 27 above or is] brought to a customs and excise station, and may—

(a) cause any goods to be marked before they are unloaded from that [F4 vehicle];

(b) lock up, seal, mark or otherwise secure any goods carried in the [F5 vehicle] or any place or container in which they are so carried; and

(c) break open any place or container which is locked and of which the keys are withheld.

(2) Any goods found concealed on board any such [F6 vehicle] shall be liable to forfeiture.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 28(1) substituted (16.7.1992) by Finance (No. 2) Act 1992 (c. 48), s. 10(3).

F2 Words in s. 28(1) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 20(2)(a) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F3 Words inserted by Finance Act 1987 (c. 16, SIF 40:1), s. 7(2)

F4 Word in s. 28(1)(a) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 20(2)(b) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F5 Word in s. 28(1)(b) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 20(2)(b) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F6 Word in s. 28(2) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 20(3) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 28 amended by S.I. 1990/2167, art. 4, Sch. para. 1

C2 S. 28 restricted (1.1.1993) by Finance (No. 2) Act 1992 (c. 48), s. 4(1)(3)(d)(6).

C3 S. 28 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2018) by The Soft Drinks Industry Levy (Enforcement) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/264), regs. 1(1), 2, Sch. (with regs. 3-5)