{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971/section-28ZI",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971/section-28ZI.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1971/77",
  "legislation_title": "Immigration Act 1971",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971",
  "path": "section/28ZI",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "28ZI",
  "heading": "Retention of seized material",
  "text": "(1) This section applies to anything seized by an immigration officer under this Part for the purposes of the investigation of an offence or on the basis that it may be evidence relating to an offence.\n(2) Anything seized as mentioned in subsection (1) may be retained so long as is necessary in all the circumstances and in particular—\n(a) may be retained, except as provided for by subsection (3)—\n(i) for use as evidence at a trial for an offence, or\n(ii) for forensic examination or for investigation in connection with an offence, and\n(b) may be retained in order to establish its lawful owner, where there are reasonable grounds for believing that it has been obtained in consequence of the commission of an offence.\n(3) Nothing may be retained for a purpose mentioned in subsection (2)(a) if a photograph or copy would be sufficient for that purpose.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 28ZI inserted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 50, 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(g)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Ss. 24-29: amendment to earlier affecting S.I. 1993/1797, Sch. 1 Pt. 1 (11.10.2017 coming into force in accordance with art. 1) by The Immigration (Jersey) (Amendment) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/981), Sch. Pt. 1 para. 1 (with art. 6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Pt. 3 modified by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 33C(6) (as inserted (1.11.2016 for specified purposes, 1.12.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 39(2), 94(1); S.I. 2016/1037, regs. 2(a), 5(c))"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/77/section/28ZI",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:49:29.102045+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}