Paragraph 2: Authorisation of customs officers responsible for certain judicial police missions

Customs officers may only be authorised to carry out judicial police missions when they are assigned to the financial judicial investigation department of the Ministry of the Budget. For each of these officers, a request for authorisation is sent to the public prosecutor at the Paris court of appeal by the magistrate delegated to the judicial missions of the customs and tax authorities.

The Public Prosecutor at the Paris Court of Appeal grants or refuses authorisation by decree. Where he is considering refusing authorisation, he shall inform the interested party, specifying that he may, within a period of fifteen days, examine his file and be heard, where appropriate, with the assistance of counsel of his choice.

The Public Prosecutor at the Paris Court of Appeal shall order the withdrawal or suspension, for a period not exceeding two years, of the authorisation to carry out judicial police missions, by order issued either ex officio or on the proposal of the magistrate delegated to judicial missions of the customs and tax authorities. The judge will first hear the customs officer, who may examine the file relating to the…