sec.98Entry and search—evidence of offences

sec.98 Entry and search—evidence of offences

Subject to subsection (3) , if an authorised officer has reasonable grounds for suspecting that there is in a place a particular thing ( the evidence ) that may afford evidence of the commission of an offence against this Act, the authorised officer may— enter the place; and exercise the powers set out in section 99 . If an authorised officer enters the place and finds the evidence, the following provisions have effect— the authorised officer may seize the evidence; the authorised officer may keep the evidence for 60 days or, if a prosecution for an offence against this Act in the commission of which the evidence may have been used or otherwise involved is instituted within that period, until the completion of the proceedings for the offence and of any appeal from the decision in relation to the proceedings; if the evidence is a document—while the authorised officer has possession of the document, the authorised officer may take extracts from and make copies of the document, but must allow the document to be inspected at any reasonable time by a person who would be entitled to inspect it if it were not in the authorised officer’s possession. An authorised officer must not enter the place or exercise a power under subsection (1) unless— the occupier of the place consents to the entry or exercise of the power; or a warrant under section 101 that was issued in relation to the evidence authorises the entry or exercise of the power. If, in the course of searching the place under subsection (1) under a warrant under section 101 , an authorised officer— finds a thing that the authorised officer believes, on reasonable grounds, to be— a thing (other than the evidence) that will afford evidence of the commission of the offence mentioned in subsection (1) ; or a thing that will afford evidence of the commission of another offence against this Act; and the authorised officer believes, on reasonable grounds, that it is necessary to seize the thing to prevent— its concealment, loss or destruction; or its use in committing, continuing or repeating the offence mentioned in subsection (1) , or the other offence, as the case may be; subsection (2) applies to the thing as if it were the evidence. An authorised officer who seizes or damages anything under this section must give written notice of particulars of the thing or damage. The notice must be given to— if anything is seized—the person from whom the thing was seized; or if damage is caused to anything—the person who appears to the authorised officer to be the owner. s 98 amd 1993 No. 66 s 3 sch (sec.98-ssec.1) Subject to subsection (3) , if an authorised officer has reasonable grounds for suspecting that there is in a place a particular thing ( the evidence ) that may afford evidence of the commission of an offence against this Act, the authorised officer may— enter the place; and exercise the powers set out in section 99 . (sec.98-ssec.2) If an authorised officer enters the place and finds the evidence, the following provisions have effect— the authorised officer may seize the evidence; the authorised officer may keep the evidence for 60 days or, if a prosecution for an offence against this Act in the commission of which the evidence may have been used or otherwise involved is instituted within that period, until the completion of the proceedings for the offence and of any appeal from the decision in relation to the proceedings; if the evidence is a document—while the authorised officer has possession of the document, the authorised officer may take extracts from and make copies of the document, but must allow the document to be inspected at any reasonable time by a person who would be entitled to inspect it if it were not in the authorised officer’s possession. (sec.98-ssec.3) An authorised officer must not enter the place or exercise a power under subsection (1) unless— the occupier of the place consents to the entry or exercise of the power; or a warrant under section 101 that was issued in relation to the evidence authorises the entry or exercise of the power. (sec.98-ssec.4) If, in the course of searching the place under subsection (1) under a warrant under section 101 , an authorised officer— finds a thing that the authorised officer believes, on reasonable grounds, to be— a thing (other than the evidence) that will afford evidence of the commission of the offence mentioned in subsection (1) ; or a thing that will afford evidence of the commission of another offence against this Act; and the authorised officer believes, on reasonable grounds, that it is necessary to seize the thing to prevent— its concealment, loss or destruction; or its use in committing, continuing or repeating the offence mentioned in subsection (1) , or the other offence, as the case may be; subsection (2) applies to the thing as if it were the evidence. (sec.98-ssec.5) An authorised officer who seizes or damages anything under this section must give written notice of particulars of the thing or damage. (sec.98-ssec.6) The notice must be given to— if anything is seized—the person from whom the thing was seized; or if damage is caused to anything—the person who appears to the authorised officer to be the owner.