Part III Law Enforcement and Punishment of Offences
47 Powers of constables to stop and search.
1
A constable may require any person whom he has reasonable cause to suspect—
a
of having a firearm, with or without ammunition, with him in a public place; or
b
to be committing or about to commit, elsewhere than in a public place, an offence relevant for the purposes of this section,
to hand over the firearm or any ammunition for examination by the constable.
2
It is an offence for a person having a firearm or ammunition with him to fail to hand it over when required to do so by a constable under subsection (1) of this section.
3
If a constable has reasonable cause to suspect a person of having a firearm with him in a public place, or to be committing or about to commit, elsewhere than in a public place, an offence relevant for the purposes of this section, the constable may search that person and may detain him for the purpose of doing so.
4
If a constable has reasonable cause to suspect that there is a firearm in a vehicle in a public place, or that a vehicle is being or is about to be used in connection with the commission of an offence relevant for the purposes of this section elsewhere than in a public place, he may search the vehicle and for that purpose require the person driving or in control of it to stop it.
5
For the purpose of exercising the powers conferred by this section a constable may enter any place.
6
The offences relevant for the purpose of this section are those under sections 18(1) and (2) and 20 of this Act.