Section 15

stop and search any person or vehicle found in any public road or place; and

if such police officer is of or above the rank of sergeant —

stop and search any person or vehicle, whether in a public place or not;

enter and search any premises;

board and search any vessel, vehicle or aircraft not being, or having the status of, a naval, military or air force vessel, vehicle or aircraft,with a view to ascertaining whether that person, vehicle, vessel or aircraft is carrying, or those premises contain, any offensive weapon or subversive document or any article or material or accumulation thereof capable of being used for causing injury to the person or to property, or if he has reasonable grounds for believing that any evidence of the commission of an offence is likely to be found on that person or premises or in any such vessel, vehicle or aircraft and may seize any such weapon, document, article or material if he has reasonable grounds for believing that it is intended or likely to be so used and any such evidence so found and any vessel, vehicle or aircraft in which such weapon, document, article, material or evidence is found:Provided that any police officer may exercise the powers conferred by paragraph (b) on a police officer of or above the rank of sergeant if he has reasonable grounds for believing that by reason of the delay which would be caused by referring the matter to an officer of or above the rank of sergeant any evidence liable to seizure under the provisions of that paragraph is likely to be removed from the person, premises, vessel, vehicle or aircraft in which the evidence is believed to be.