Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated ActsMaritime officer may examine things
(1) A maritime officer may examine a thing.
Examples of examining
(2) The officer may do the following:
(a) open any package in which the thing is or may be contained;
(b) use a device, such as an X - ray machine or ion scanning equipment, on the thing;
(c) test or analyse the thing;
(d) measure or count the thing;
(e) take samples of the thing (even if the sampling destroys the thing);
(f) operate the thing;
(g) if the thing is or contains a record or document--read the record or document either directly or with the use of an electronic device;
(h) use a dog to assist in examining the thing;
(i) take photographs or a video recording of the thing;
(j) make sketches of the thing.
(3) Subsection ( 2) does not limit subsection ( 1).
Use of force to examine
(4) The officer may use force to open the thing, or any part of the thing.
(5) However, before doing so, the officer must give a reasonable opportunity to open the thing, or the part of the thing , to :
(a) the person in whose possession the thing was found; and
(b) if the thing was found on a vessel, installation, aircraft or l and--the person in charge of the vessel, installation, aircraft or land.
(6) Subsection ( 5) does not apply if it is not reasonably practicable to give such an opportunity.