15. A conservation officer or a deputy conservation officer, if so authorized by a warrant issued by a justice of the peace, may enter and search any premises, including a vehicle, boat or aircraft, and open or cause to be opened any receptacle, if he believes, on reasonable and probable grounds, that it contains(1) any animal, fish or pelt held contrary to this Act or the regulations under it or any other Act or regulation assigned to his administration;
(2) any object, animal, fish or dog which has been used to commit an offence against this Act or the regulations under it or any other Act or regulation assigned to his administration;
(3) anything which may be used to prove, on reasonable and probable grounds, that an offence against this Act or the regulations under it or any other Act or regulation assigned to his administration has been committed.
A justice of the peace may issue a warrant, subject to such conditions as he may specify therein, if he is satisfied, on the basis of a sworn statement by the conservation officer or deputy, that there are reasonable and probable grounds for believing that such an offence is being or has been committed and that there is in the premises or receptacle contemplated in the first paragraph an animal, fish, dog, pelt object or thing referred to in subparagraph 1, 2 or 3 of the first paragraph.
The warrant, whether executed or not, shall be returned to the justice of the peace who issued it, not later than 15 days after its issue.
1983, c. 39, s. 15; 1984, c. 47, s. 39; 1986, c. 95, s. 111; 1988, c. 39, s. 1.