Valid from 06/06/2022

Powers of entry, search and seizure U.K.

16 Power to board and search vessels and aircraft U.K.

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a police or customs officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that there is relevant evidence in or on any vessel or aircraft, and

(b) the vessel or aircraft is not a dwelling.

(2) The officer may at any time—

(a) board the vessel or aircraft;

(b) search it for relevant evidence.

(3) For the purposes of exercising the power conferred by subsection (2), the officer may require a vessel or aircraft—

(a) to stop, or

(b) to do anything else that would facilitate the boarding of that or any other vessel or aircraft.

(4) A police or customs officer who has boarded a vessel or aircraft may, for the purposes of disembarking from the vessel or aircraft, require that or any other vessel or aircraft—

(a) to stop, or

(b) to do anything else that would enable the officer to disembark from the vessel or aircraft.

(5) A police or customs officer may require any person on board a vessel or aircraft to provide any help and facilities, with respect to matters under that person's control, that the officer considers would facilitate the exercise of a power conferred by this section.

(6) The powers conferred by this section may be exercised in any place to which the officer lawfully has access (whether or not it is a place to which the public has access).

(7) For provision conferring additional powers on police or customs officers to enter and search vessels and aircraft, see section 17.