Article 20 Customs powers

(1)

Goods in relation to which a Community Licence has not been granted and which are brought to any place in the United Kingdom for the purpose of being exported, may be detained by the proper officer of Customs and Excise as if they were liable to forfeiture, if and so long as that officer has reason to believe that a competent authority (after, if necessary, having had the impending exportation brought to its attention) might inform the exporter as provided in Article 4(1), (2) or (3) of the Regulation or article 5 of this Order.

(2)

Any goods, listed in Annex I to the Regulation in relation to which a Community Licence has been granted which are brought to any place in the United Kingdom for the purpose of being exported to a destination outside the European Community may be detained by the proper officer of Customs and Excise for a period of ten working days as if they were liable to forfeiture where that officer or the Secretary of State has grounds for suspicion that—

(a)

relevant information was not taken into account when the Community Licence was granted; or

(b)

circumstances have materially changed since the issue of the Community Licence, provided that the period shall be extended to 30 working days where the Secretary of State certifies that a request for such an extension in accordance with Article 12(4) of the Regulation has been received from the Member State which granted the Community Licence.