Does Customs And Exise Have The Authority To Stop Road Traffic

[scottybass72]

I know police and lollypop ladies have this power but do customs?

[Tilly2]

I should imagine so but I may be wrong.

[ToraToraTora]

Yes they do.

[ToraToraTora]

they have more power than plod.

[237SJ]

They don't have more power than "plod" but they can chase you up the motorway from Calais as has happened to friends of mine.

[-SharonA-]

Smuggling were they??!!

[ToraToraTora]

Customs have a "writ of assistance"
https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803125106772
they have a lot more power than plod in all sorts of ways.

[Buenchico]

" . . . where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that any vehicle . . . is or may be carrying any goods which are—
(a) chargeable with any duty which has not been paid or secured; or
(b) in the course of being unlawfully removed from or to any place; or
(c) otherwise liable to forfeiture under the customs and excise Acts, any officer or constable or member of Her Majesty’s armed forces or coastguard may stop and search that vehicle"
[s.163, Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, as amended].

For the purposes of that Act, 'coastguard' refers to Customs and Excise officials. So, they DO have the power to stop vehicles but ONLY in relation to suspected evasion of duty or other matters within their general remit. They have NO powers to stop or direct traffic otherwise.

[Hopkirk]

When I worked in the airlines I sometimes heard talks from Customs. They warned that the Police need a warrant to search your house. They don't.

[Hopkirk]

By 'they' I mean Customs and Excise. They boast that they do indeed have more power than the police in some areas.

[CrapAtCryptics]

They have all the powers of a constable when they are on duty, as do prison officers etc or they would not be able to do their job.

[DTCwordfan]

it's why C&E often lead drug busts with the police following in behind, so yes they do in specific areas that cover excise and tax.