CUSTOMS POWERS AND INVESTIGATIONS

18 Investigation, etc. of suspected aircraft
1 Where any authorised person has reason to suspect that any aircraft to which article 7 applies has been or is being or is about to be used in contravention of paragraph (1) of that article —
(a) he may (either alone or accompanied and assisted by persons under his authority) board the aircraft and search it and, for that purpose, may use or authorise the use of reasonable force;
(b) he may request the charterer, the operator and the commander of the aircraft or any of them to furnish such information relating to the aircraft and its cargo and produce for his inspection such documents so relating and such cargo as he may specify; and
(c) if the aircraft is then in the Territory, any authorised person may (either there and then or upon consideration of any information furnished or document or cargo produced in pursuance of a request made under sub-paragraph (b)) further request the charterer, the operator and the commander or any of them to cause the aircraft and any of its cargo to remain in the Territory until notified that the aircraft and its cargo may depart.
2 Without prejudice to the provisions of article 20(3), where an authorised person has reason to suspect that any request that has been made under paragraph (1)(c) may not be complied with, he may take such steps as appear to him to be necessary to secure compliance with that request and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may for that purpose —
(a) enter, or authorise entry, upon any land and upon that aircraft;
(b) detain, or authorise the detention of, that aircraft and any of its cargo; and
(c) use, or authorise the use of, reasonable force.
3 Before or on exercising any power conferred by this article, an authorised person shall, if requested to do so, produce evidence of his authority.
4 In this article, “authorised person” means any person authorised by the Governor for the purpose of this article either generally or in a particular case.