Spirits (Ireland) Act, 1854

Justices may grant warrants for search for and seizure of spirits kept for sale in unlicensed places, or illicit spirits.

2. It shall and may be lawful for any one or more justice or justices of the peace, whether in or out of petty sessions, upon being satisfied by the personal examination on oath of a credible witness that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that spirits are sold, kept for sale, or exposed for sale in any house or place within the county not licensed for the sale thereof, or by some person not having a licence to sell spirits in or at such house or place, or that illicit spirits are kept for sale in or at any house or place, to grant a warrant under his or their hand or hands, authorizing within the police district of Dublin Metropolis any superintendent or inspector of police, or in any other part of Ireland any sub-inspector, head or other constable of constabulary, with his assistants respectively, to enter such house or place at all times, to search for spirits, and if any spirits shall be found in such house or place exceeding one gallon, without a permit or other legal authority justifying the keeping thereof, or any spirits in any quantity whatsoever the full duties whereon shall not have been duly paid shall be found in such house or place, to seize such spirits, together with the vessel in which the same are contained; and such warrant shall continue in force for one month from the date thereof, and shall be a sufficient authority to the superintendent, inspector, sub-inspector, head or other constable therein named, and his assistants respectively, such assistants being members of the constabulary force, in his presence, to enter into such house or place, and seize all such spirits as aforesaid and the vessel containing the same, . . . and the person on whose premises such spirits shall be found as aforesaid shall on conviction be liable—

For the first offence, to a fine not exceeding five pounds nor less than two pounds, or to be imprisoned, with or without hard labour, for any term not exceeding three months nor less than one month:

And for the second and every subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding ten pounds nor less than five pounds, or to be imprisoned, with or without hard labour, for any term not exceeding six months nor less than three months:

And all such spirits and the vessels containing the same so seized as aforesaid shall be forfeited.