Hong Kong Ordinances

WILD ANIMALS PROTECTION ORDINANCE - SECT 17A

Powers to search suspects, and to seize and detain evidence, etc.

(1) An authorized officer may, without warrant, stop and search any person,
and search the property of any person, by whom he has reasonable grounds for
believing that an offence under section 18 is being or has been committed.

(2) An authorized officer may seize and detain at the owner's risk-

   (a)  (i) any protected wild animal, whether dead or alive;

        (ii)   any part of a protected wild animal; or

        (iii)  any nest or egg of a protected wild animal, in respect of which
               the authorized officer has reasonable grounds for believing
               that an offence under section 18 is being or has been
               committed;

   (b)  (i) any protected wild animal, whether dead or alive;

        (ii)   any part of a protected wild animal; or

        (iii)  any nest or egg of a protected wild animal, which the
               authorized officer has reasonable grounds for believing has
               been abandoned;

   (c)  any receptacle in which any animal liable to be seized and detained
        under paragraph (a) or (b) is contained, together with any handling or
        other device which the authorized officer has reasonable grounds for
        believing is used for or in connection with the animal;

   (d)  any food or drink accompanying any animal liable to be seized and
        detained under paragraph (a) or (b);

   (e)  any live decoy or any device for the emission of recorded noises, any
        arms or any hunting appliance, by or with which the authorized 
        officer has reasonable grounds for believing that an offence under
        section  18 is being or has been committed;

   (f)  any document or thing which is likely to be or to contain evidence of
        an offence under section 18 which the authorized officer has
        reasonable grounds for believing is being or has been committed.

(3) In subsection (2)-

   (a)  a reference to any protected wild animal shall be deemed to include a
        reference to any animal which an authorized officer has reasonable
        grounds for believing is a protected wild animal;

   (b)  a reference to any part of a protected wild animal shall be deemed to
        include a reference to any part of an animal which an authorized 
        officer has reasonable grounds for believing is a part of a protected
        animal;

   (c)  a reference to any nest or egg of a protected wild animal shall be
        deemed to include a reference to any nest or egg of an animal which an
        authorized officer has reasonable grounds for believing is a nest or
        egg of a protected wild animal. (Added 77 of 1996 s. 12)