Investigation, etc. of suspected vehicles
25.—(1) Where an authorised person reasonably suspects that a vehicle in the Territory has been, is being, or is about to be used in the commission of an offence under article 8(1)—
(a)the person may (alone or assisted by persons under the authorised person’s authority) enter the vehicle and search it and, for that purpose, may use or authorise the use of reasonable force;
(b)the person may request the operator or driver of the vehicle to provide such information relating to the vehicle and any goods in the vehicle and produce for inspection such documents and goods as the person may specify; and
(c)the person may request the operator or driver to keep the aircraft and any goods in the vehicle in the Territory until notified that the vehicle may depart.
(2) An authorised person may take such steps as appear necessary to secure compliance with a request under paragraph (1)(c) where—
(a)the operator or driver fails to comply with the request, or
(b)the person reasonably suspects that the request may not be complied with.
(3) Those steps may include in particular—
(a)entering, or authorising entry of, the vehicle or upon any land;
(b)detaining, or authorising the detention of, the vehicle and any goods in the vehicle;
(c)seizing any prohibited goods; and
(d)using, or authorising the use of, reasonable force.
(4) An operator or driver of a vehicle (“P”) commits an offence if P—
(a)fails without reasonable excuse to comply with a request under paragraph (1),
(b)knowingly or recklessly provides information or a document which is false in a material particular in response to a request under paragraph (1)(b), or
(c)wilfully obstructs an authorised person, or a person acting under that person’s authority, in the exercise of any power conferred by this article.
(5) An authorised person, or a person acting under that person’s authority, must, if requested to do so, produce evidence of his or her authority before exercising any power conferred by this article.
(6) In this article, “authorised person” means a person authorised by the Governor for the purpose of this article either generally or in a particular case.