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ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ACT 1999 - SECT 414

Statements in warrants

  (1)   If a magistrate issues a warrant under section   413, the magistrate is to state in the warrant:

  (a)   each offence and/or environmental penalty provision to which the warrant relates; and

  (b)   a description of the premises to which the warrant relates or the name or description of a person to whom it relates; and

  (c)   the kinds of evidential material that are to be searched for under the warrant; and

  (d)   the name of the authorised officer who, unless he or she inserts the name of another authorised officer in the warrant, is to be responsible for executing the warrant; and

  (e)   the period for which the warrant remains in force, which must not be more than 7 days; and

  (f)   if the warrant relates to premises--whether the premises may be entered at any time of the day or night or only during particular hours of the day or night; and

  (g)   if the warrant relates to a person--whether the search of the person may be carried out at any time of the day or night or only during particular hours of the day or night.

  (2)   The magistrate is also to state, in a warrant in relation to premises:

  (a)   that the warrant authorises the seizure of a thing (other than evidential material of the kind referred to in paragraph   (1)(c)) found at the premises in the course of the search that the executing officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds to be:

  (i)   evidential material in relation to an offence, or in relation to a contravention of an environmental penalty provision, to which the warrant relates; or

  (ii)   evidential material in relation to another offence against an environmental law, where the other offence is an indictable offence; or

  (iii)   evidential material in relation to another contravention of an environmental penalty provision;

    if the executing officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds that seizure of the thing is necessary to prevent its concealment, loss or destruction or its use in committing an offence against an environmental law or in contravening an environmental penalty provision; and

  (b)   whether the warrant authorises an ordinary search or a frisk search of a person who is at or near the premises when the warrant is executed if the executing officer or an officer assisting suspects on reasonable grounds that the person has in his or her possession:

  (i)   any evidential material in relation to an offence against an environmental law, in relation to a contravention of an environmental penalty provision or in relation to both; or

  (ii)   any eligible seizable items.

  (3)   For the purposes of this Act, ordinary search means a search of a person or of articles in the possession of a person that may include:

  (a)   requiring the person to remove his or her overcoat, coat or jacket and any gloves, shoes and hat; and

  (b)   an examination of those items.

  (4)   The magistrate is also to state, in a warrant in relation to a person:

  (a)   that the warrant authorises the seizure of a thing (other than evidential material of the kind referred to in paragraph   (1)(c)) found, in the course of the search, on or in the possession of the person or in an aircraft, vehicle or vessel that the person had operated or occupied at any time within 24 hours before the search began, being a thing that the executing officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds to be:

  (i)   evidential material in relation to an offence, or in relation to a contravention of an environmental penalty provision, to which the warrant relates; or

  (ii)   evidential material in relation to another offence against an environmental law, where the other offence is an indictable offence; or

  (iii)   evidential material in relation to another contravention of an environmental penalty provision;

    if the executing officer or an officer assisting believes on reasonable grounds that seizure of the thing is necessary to prevent its concealment, loss or destruction or its use in committing an offence against an environmental law or in contravening an environmental penalty provision; and

  (b)   the kind of search of a person that the warrant authorises.

  (5)   Paragraph   (1)(e) does not prevent the issue of successive warrants in relation to the same premises or person.

  (6)   If the application for the warrant is made under section   416, this section applies as if paragraph   (1)(e) referred to 48 hours rather than 7 days.


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