Hong Kong Ordinances

ACCREDITATION OF ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS ORDINANCE - SECT 20

Power of entry, search, seize, etc.

(1) Where a warrant has been issued under subsection (2) in respect of any
premises, an inspection officer or a police officer may—

   (a)  at any time, using such force as may be necessary, enter and search
        such premises;

   (b)  detain any person found in such premises, during such period as is
        reasonably required to permit any such search to be carried out, where
        that person might prejudice the purpose of such search if he were not
        so detained; and

   (c)  inspect, seize and detain anything which is or appears to him to be or
        to contain, or to be likely to be or to contain, evidence of the
        commission of an offence under this Ordinance.

(2) Where a magistrate is satisfied by information on oath that there are
reasonable grounds for believing that—

   (a)  an offence under this Ordinance is being or has been committed in any
        premises; or

   (b)  there is or may be in any premises anything which is or contains, or
        is likely to be or to contain, evidence of the commission of an
        offence under this Ordinance, he may issue a warrant authorizing any
        inspection officer or police officer to enter such premises.

(3) If an inspection officer or a police officer is requested to produce proof
of his authority, he shall not exercise any power conferred by subsection (1)
unless he has produced the proof of his authority as requested.

(4) An inspection officer or a police officer may, in the exercise of the
powers conferred by subsection (1)—

   (a)  break open any door of any premises which he is empowered to enter
        under that subsection; and

   (b)  remove by force any person or thing obstructing him in the exercise of
        such powers.

(5) Any person who obstructs an inspection officer or a police officer in the
exercise of any power conferred by subsection (1) or (4) commits an offence
and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 3.

(6) In this section, “inspection officer” (視察人員) means any public
officer authorized by the Secretary in writing either generally or in any
particular case to be an inspection officer for the purposes of this section.
“specified authority” (指明當局) “inspection officer”
(視察人員)