13.4. A judge of the Court of Québec or a justice of the peace having jurisdiction may, on an ex parte application following an information made in writing and under oath by a person who has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence against this Act is being or has been committed and that there is in a place in Québec a thing that may afford evidence of the offence or which is being or has been used for the commission of the offence, authorize in writing any public servant of the Ministère du Revenu, or any other person he designates, to search in that place and to seize and remove therefrom that thing and, for those purposes, to enter any building, receptacle or premises in that place; the public servant or person so authorized may call upon the assistance of a peace officer.
Furthermore, any member of the Sûreté du Québec or any member of a municipal police force may apply for a warrant or telewarrant and make a search in accordance with articles 96 to 114 of the Code of Penal Procedure (chapter C-25.1) with a view to searching for, seizing and removing a thing described in the first paragraph.
Any public servant of the Ministère du Revenu may also apply for a telewarrant and make a search in accordance with the said articles of the Code of Penal Procedure with a view to searching for, seizing and removing a thing described in the first paragraph.
In addition, any member of the Sûreté du Québec, any member of a municipal police force or any public servant of the Ministère du Revenu who has reasonable grounds to believe that an offence against this Act is being or has been committed and that there is in a place in Québec a thing that may afford evidence of the offence or which is being or has been used for the commission of the offence, may also search for, seize and remove that thing without the authorization provided for in the first paragraph, or without having made an application for a warrant or telewarrant provided for in the second or the third paragraph, as the case may be, if the person in charge of that place consents to the search or in exigent circumstances within the meaning of article 96 of the Code of Penal Procedure.
No search under the first paragraph may commence before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. or on a non-juridical day, without the written authorization of the judge who authorized the search. Nor may any such search commence more than 15 days after being authorized.
1986, c. 17, s. 5; 1988, c. 21, s. 94; 1991, c. 16, s. 12; 1993, c. 79, s. 13; 1996, c. 31, s. 1.