Customs Consolidation Act, 1876

Forfeiture of vessel arriving in U. K. or Channel Islands, or within three leagues thereof, having prohibited goods on board or attached thereto.

179. [1] If any ship or boat shall be found or discovered to have been within any port bay harbour river or creek of the United Kingdom or the Channel Islands, or within three leagues of the coast thereof if belonging wholly or in part to British subjects, or having half the persons on board subjects of Her Majesty, or within one league if not British, having false bulkheads false bows double sides or bottom, or any secret or disguised place adapted for concealing goods, or any hole tube pipe or device adapted for running goods, or having on board or in any manner attached thereto, or having had on board or in any manner attached thereto, or conveying or having conveyed in any manner any spirits tobacco or snuff in packages of any size and character in which they are prohibited to be imported into the United Kingdom or the Channel Islands, or any spirits or tobacco or snuff imported contrary to the Customs Acts, or any tobacco stalks, tobacco stalk flour, or snuff work, or which shall be found or discovered to have been within three leagues of any part of the coast of the United Kingdom from which any part of the lading of such ship or boat shall be or have been thrown overboard, or on board which any goods shall be or have been staved or destroyed to prevent seizure, every such ship or boat, together with any such spirits, tobacco, or snuff, tobacco stalks, tobacco stalk flour, or snuff work, and all packages casks or other vessels containing the same, and everything packed therein, and also any cordage or other articles adapted and prepared for slinging or sinking small casks or any casks or other vessels whatsoever of less size or content than twenty gallons of the description used for the smuggling of spirits found on board, shall be forfeited; and every person who shall be found or discovered to have been on board any ship or boat liable to forfeiture as aforesaid, within three leagues of the coast if a British subject, or within one league if a foreigner, or on board any vessel in Her Majesty's service, or on board any foreign post office packet employed in carrying mails between any foreign country and the United Kingdom having on board any spirits or tobacco in such packages as aforesaid, or any tobacco stalks, tobacco stalk flour, or snuff work, shall forfeit a sum not exceeding one hundred pounds; and every such person may be detained and taken before any justice, to be dealt with as herein-after directed: Provided, that no person shall be detained whilst actually on board any vessel in the service of a foreign state or country. [[1] And provided also that no person shall be liable to conviction under this section unless there shall be reasonable cause to believe that such person was concerned in, or privy to the illegal act or thing proved to have been committed.]

[1 The provisions of this section as to forfeiture of a ship or boat are modified by 53 & 54 Vict. c. 56.]

[1 Words in brackets added by 50 & 51 Vict. c. 7.]