Customs Act 1901

Any officer may, subject to subsections (2) and (3), examine any goods subject to customs control, and the expense of the examination including the cost of removal to the place of examination shall be borne by the owner.

In the exercise of the power to examine goods, the officer of Customs may do, or arrange for another officer of Customs or other person having the necessary experience to do, whatever is reasonably necessary to permit the examination of the goods concerned.

Without limiting the generality of subsection (2), examples of what may be done in the examination of goods include the following:

opening any package in which goods are or may be contained;

using a device, such as an X‑ray machine or ion scanning equipment, on the goods;

testing or analysing the goods;

measuring or counting the goods;

if the goods are a document—reading the document either directly or with the use of an electronic device;

using dogs to assist in examining the goods.

Goods that are subject to customs control under section 31 do not cease to be subject to customs control merely because they are removed from a ship or aircraft in the course of an examination under this section.