Licensing (Combating Drug Abuse) Act, 1997

Powers of entry and seizure.

14.—(1) Any member of the Garda Síochána whether in uniform or not may enter without a warrant any place in respect of which a public dancing licence is not in force at any time while such place is being used for public dancing or at any other reasonable time and there make such inspection, examination and inquiry as he or she shall think proper for the prevention or detection of a drug trafficking offence or for the giving of a direction under section 12 .

(2) Every person who prevents or attempts to prevent a member of the Garda Síochána from exercising, or obstructs or attempts to obstruct any such member in the exercise of, the power vested in such member by virtue of subsection (1), shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding £1,000.

(3) If a direction has been given under section 12 and a member of the Garda Síochána reasonably suspects that any person to whom the direction applies has, without reasonable excuse, failed to remove from the place concerned any sound equipment, which appears to the member to belong to that person or to be in his or her possession or under his or her control, the member may seize and remove that sound equipment.