Seizure and retention of things found upon search
5.—(1) Where in the Act a constable is given power to seize and retain any thing found upon a lawful search of person or premises, an officer of Revenue and Customs shall have the same power, notwithstanding that the thing found is not evidence of an offence which relates to a matter in relation to which Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs have functions.
(2) Nothing in the application of the Act to Revenue and Customs prevents any thing lawfully seized by a person under any enactment from being accepted and retained by an officer of Revenue and Customs.
(3) Section 21 of the Act (access and copying)(1) shall not apply to any thing seized as liable to forfeiture under the customs and excise Acts.
Section 21(9) of the Act was inserted by section 12 of, and paragraphs 1 and 3 of Schedule 1 to, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c.44).