Power to open packages, etc.

(1) Any Prohibition Officer duly empowered in this behalf by the State Government or any Police Officer may open any package and examin any goods and may stop and search for any intoxicant, hemp, mhowra flowers, or molasses any vessel, vehicle or other means of conveyance and may seize any intoxicant, hemp, mhowra flowers, molasses or any other thing liable to confiscation or forfeiture under this Act or any other law for the time being in force relating to excise revenue found while making such search. (2) The unloading and carrying of goods, the bringing of them to the place appointed under sub-section (3) for examination, the opening and repacking of them, where such operations are necessary for searches made under this section and the removing of goods to and placing of them in the place appointed under sub-section (3) for examination or deposit, shall be performed by or at the expense of the owner of such goods. (3) The owner of goods or the persons in charge of the goods shall, if so required by any officer conducting the search, take the goods to a place appointed in any area for which a Commissioner of Police has been appointed and elsewhere, by the District Magistrate for the purpose of examination or deposit. (4) The expenses incurred by the State Government for any of the purposes mentioned in sub-section (2) may be recovered from the owner, or as the case may be, the person in-charge, of the goods as arrears of land revenue.