Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

289 Searches U.K.

(1) If [F1 an officer of Revenue and Customs] or constable who [F2 , a constable or an accredited financial investigator] is lawfully on any premises [F3 and] has reasonable grounds for suspecting that there is on the premises cash—

(a) which is recoverable property or is intended by any person for use in unlawful conduct, and

(b) the amount of which is not less than the minimum amount,

he may search for the cash there.

[F4 (1A) The powers specified in subsection (1D) are exercisable if—

(a) [F5 an officer of Revenue and Customs], a constable or an accredited financial investigator has reasonable grounds for suspecting that there is cash falling within subsection (1E) in a vehicle, and

(b) it appears to the officer, constable or investigator that the vehicle is under the control of a person (the suspect) who is in or in the vicinity of the vehicle.

(1B) The powers are exercisable only if the vehicle is—

(a) in any place to which, at the time of the proposed exercise of the powers, the public or any section of the public has access, on payment or otherwise, as of right or by virtue of express or implied permission, or

(b) in any other place to which at that time people have ready access but which is not a dwelling.

(1C) But if the vehicle is in a garden or yard or other land occupied with and used for the purposes of a dwelling, the [F6 officer of Revenue and Customs], constable or accredited financial investigator may exercise the powers under subsection (1D) only if the officer, constable or investigator has reasonable grounds for believing—

(a) that the suspect does not reside in the dwelling, and

(b) that the vehicle is not in the place in question with the express or implied permission of a person who resides in the dwelling.

(1D) The [F6 officer of Revenue and Customs], constable or accredited financial investigator may, so far as the officer, constable or investigator thinks it necessary or expedient, require the suspect to—

(a) permit entry to the vehicle,

(b) permit a search of the vehicle.

(1E) Cash falls within this subsection if—

(a) it is recoverable property or is intended by any person for use in unlawful conduct, and

(b) the amount of it is not less than the minimum amount.]

(2) If [F7 an officer of Revenue and Customs] [F8 , a constable or an accredited financial investigator] has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a person (the suspect) is carrying cash—

(a) which is recoverable property or is intended by any person for use in unlawful conduct, and

(b) the amount of which is not less than the minimum amount,

he may exercise the following powers.

(3) The officer [F9 , constable or accredited financial investigator] may, so far as he thinks it necessary or expedient, require the suspect—

(a) to permit a search of any article he has with him,

(b) to permit a search of his person.

(4) An officer [F10 , constable or accredited financial investigator] [F11 exercising powers by virtue of subsection (3)(b) may detain the suspect for so long as is necessary for their exercise. ] [F11 may—

(a) in exercising powers by virtue of subsection (1D), detain the vehicle for so long as is necessary for their exercise,

(b) in exercising powers by virtue of subsection (3)(b), detain the suspect for so long as is necessary for their exercise.]

(5) The powers conferred by this section—

(a) are exercisable only so far as reasonably required for the purpose of finding cash,

(b) are exercisable by a customs officer only if he has reasonable grounds for suspecting that the unlawful conduct in question relates to an assigned matter (within the meaning of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 (c. 2)).

[F12 (ba) are exercisable by an officer of Revenue and Customs only so far as the officer is exercising a function relating to a matter other than an excluded matter,]

(c) are exercisable by an accredited financial investigator only in relation to [F13 premises or (as the case may be) suspects in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.][F13 the following—

(i) premises in England, Wales or Northern Ireland (in the case of subsection (1)),

(ii) vehicles and suspects in England, Wales or Northern Ireland (in the case of subsections (1D) and (4)(a)),

(iii) suspects in England, Wales or Northern Ireland (in the case of subsections (2), (3) and (4)(b)).]

[F14 (5A) The reference in subsection (5)(ba) to an excluded matter is to a matter specified in section 54(4)(b) of, or in any of paragraphs 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14 to 30 of Schedule 1 to, the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005.]

(6) Cash means—

(a) notes and coins in any currency,

(b) postal orders,

(c) cheques of any kind, including travellers’ cheques,

(d) bankers’ drafts,

(e) bearer bonds and bearer shares,

found at any place in the United Kingdom.

(7) Cash also includes any kind of monetary instrument which is found at any place in the United Kingdom, if the instrument is specified by the Secretary of State by an order made after consultation with the Scottish Ministers [F15 or, in relation to Northern Ireland, is specified by the Department of Justice by an order].

(8) This section does not require a person to submit to an intimate search or strip search (within the meaning of section 164 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 (c. 2)).

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 289(1) substituted (17.7.2013) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 48 para. 2(2)

F2 Words in s. 289(1) substituted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 11 para. 2(2)(a); S.I. 2008/755, art. 17(1)(f)

F3 Word in s. 289(1) inserted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 11 para. 2(2)(b); S.I. 2008/755, art. 17(1)(f)

F4 S. 289(1A)-(1E) inserted (1.6.2015 for E.W.S., 1.3.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2009 (c. 26), ss. 63(2), 116(1); S.I. 2015/983, art. 2(2)(b); S.I. 2016/147, art. 3(d)

F5 Words in s. 289(1A)(a) substituted (17.7.2013) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 48 para. 2(2)

F6 Words in s. 289(1C)(1D) substituted (17.7.2013) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 48 para. 2(3)

F7 Words in s. 289(2) substituted (17.7.2013) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 48 para. 2(2)

F8 Words in s. 289(2) substituted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 11 para. 2(3); S.I. 2008/755, art. 17(1)(f)

F9 Words in s. 289(3) substituted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 11 para. 2(4); S.I. 2008/755, art. 17(1)(f)

F10 Words in s. 289(4) substituted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 11 para. 2(4); S.I. 2008/755, art. 17(1)(f)

F11 Words in s. 289(4) substituted (1.6.2015 for E.W.S., 1.3.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2009 (c. 26), ss. 63(3), 116(1); S.I. 2015/983, art. 2(2)(b); S.I. 2016/147, art. 3(d)

F12 S. 289(5)(ba) inserted (17.7.2013) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 48 para. 2(4)

F13 Words in s. 289(5)(c) substituted (1.6.2015 for E.W.S. for specified purposes, 1.3.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2009 (c. 26), ss. 63(4), 116(1); S.I. 2015/983, art. 2(2)(b); S.I. 2016/147, art. 3(d)

F14 S. 289(5A) inserted (17.7.2013) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 48 para. 2(5)

F15 Words in s. 289(7) inserted (12.4.2010) by The Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), art. 1(2), Sch. 14 para. 57 (with arts. 28-31)