S.L. 117.46 Art. 11Appointment of authorised officers.

(1) The Minister may appoint public officers to be authorised officers for the control of the production of olive oil and olive related products.

(2) No person who is engaged directly or indirectly in any commercial enterprise related to the production of olive oil or olive related products shall act as an authorised officer, and no public officer shall be engaged directly or indirectly in any commercial enterprise related to the production of olive oil or olive related products.

(3) An authorised officer shall have the power, at any reasonable time, to enter and inspect any premises in or at which he has reason to believe that olive oil is being produced, bottled, stored, sold or offered for sale, to examine and search such premises, to inspect any such olive oil and to take samples thereof:

Provided that an authorised officer shall not enter into any dwelling unless authorised by a Magistrate by means of an entry and search warrant.

(4) An authorised officer shall have the right of access to, and inspect documentation relating to any registers, records and notes kept in accordance with the provisions of these regulations.

(5) Any authorised officer exercising any power conferred by sub-regulation (3) may:

(a) seize and obtain any records which he has reason to believe may be required as evidence in proceedings in accordance with any of these regulations; and

(b) in the case where the records are kept by electronic means, require the person occupying and present at the searched or any other person who appears to the said officer to be in charge of the premises and who happens to be present during the search, to print the said records.

(6) Any authorised officer who discloses to any person any information obtained by him in the course of his duties with regards to any trade secret shall, unless the disclosure is made necessarily in the performance of his duty and without prejudice to any other liability under any other law, be guilty of an offence.

(7) Any person who:

(a) intentionally obstructs or causes the obstruction of any person acting in the proper exercise of his functions in accordance with these regulations; or

(b) without reasonable cause, fails to give to any person, acting in the exercise of his functions in accordance with these regulations, any assistance or information which he may be required to give in accordance with these regulations or any other law, or gives false or misleading information, shall be guilty of an offence. Criminal action for such an offence shall be barred by the lapse of three (3) months.