Legal Procedure

21 Officers authorized to seize offending ships.

The following officers, that is to say,

(1)

Any officer of customs in the United Kingdom F1(except in the Isle of Man), subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from the F2Commissioners of Customs and Excise, or any officer of the Board of Trade, subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from the Board of Trade F3and, in the Isle of Man, any officer of customs of the Isle of Man, or officer of the Isle of Man Harbour Board, subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from the Governor in Council ;

(2)

Any officer of customs or public officer in any British possession, subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from the governor of such possession;

(3)

Any commissioned officer on full pay in the military service of the Crown, subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from his commanding officer;

(4)

Any commissioned officer on full pay in the naval service of the Crown, subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from F4the Defence Council or his superior officer,

may seize or detain any ship liable to be seized or detained in pursuance of this Act, and such officers are in this Act referred to as the “local authority;” but nothing in this Act contained shall derogate from the power of the Court of Admiralty to direct any ship to be seized or detained by any officer by whom such court may have power under its ordinary jurisdiction to direct a ship to be seized or detained.

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)

F1Words inserted by S.I. 1980/399, Sch. Pt. I para. 1

F2Words substituted by virtue of S.R. & O. 1909/197 (Rev. V. p. 465: 1909, p. 239), art. 10

F3Words added by S.I. 1980/399, Sch. Pt. I para. 1

F4Words substituted by S.I. 1964/488, Sch. 1 Pt. I

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1Functions of Board of Trade now exercisable concurrently by Secretary of State: S.I. 1970/1537, art. 2

C2References to “the military service of the Crown” to be construed as including a reference to the air force service: S.R. & O. 1918/548 (Rev. I, p. 896: 1918 I, p. 50), art. I, Sch.