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Customs and Excise Act 2018

Customs powers - Powers of entry, search warrants, use of aids, etc

226: Use of dogs and other aids

You could also call this:

"Searching with help from dogs and special equipment"

Illustration for Customs and Excise Act 2018

When you are exercising powers under the Customs and Excise Act 2018, you may have and use certain aids to help with searching. These aids include a Customs dog, chemical substances, and X-ray or imaging equipment. You can use these aids to search for things.

You can use these aids when searching, but there are some limits. You cannot use a dog or aid in a private home or marae without permission from the person who lives there or owns it.

There is an exception to this rule, you can use a dog or aid in a private home or marae if you have a warrant, which is a special permission from a court, or if you have the consent of the occupier or owner of that dwelling or marae.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7039500.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Police and safetyGovernment and voting > Law enforcementHousing and property > Home safety and repairs
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225: Issue of search warrant, or

"When police think something might be evidence of a crime, they can get a special paper to search a place or thing."

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227: Examination of goods subject to control of Customs, or

"Customs officers can check goods to see if they are allowed in the country"

Part 4Customs powers
Powers of entry, search warrants, use of aids, etc

226Use of dogs and other aids

  1. A Customs officer or any other person who is exercising any power of boarding, entry, or search under this Act may have with him or her, and use for the purpose of searching, any of the following:

  2. a Customs dog:
    1. any chemical substance:
      1. X-ray or imaging equipment or any other mechanical, electrical, or electronic device.

        1. However, neither a Customs officer nor any other person may use a dog or aid of the kind referred in subsection (1) in a private dwelling or marae except—

        2. with the consent of an occupier or owner of that dwelling or marae; or
          1. under a warrant.

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