Powers of entry, search and seizure Section 28: Offences of obstruction etc
Subsection (1) makes it an offence for a person to, without reasonable excuse, intentionally obstruct a relevant enforcement officer in the exercise of his or her powers under sections 14 to 25.
	Subsection (2) makes it an offence for a person, without reasonable excuse, to fail to comply with a reasonable requirement made, or direction reasonably given, by a police or customs officer under Sections 15 to 25. It is also an offence to prevent another person from complying with such a requirement or direction. Such a requirement or direction may be, for example, to open a locked door of a room within premises subject to a search warrant or to open a locked cabinet.
	These offences extend to the obstruction of, or failure to comply with a requirement or direction given by, a person authorised to accompany a relevant police or customs officer to effect a search of premises (see section 19(4)).
	Subsection (4) provides for the maximum penalties for both offences, as follows –
Maximum penalty on summary conviction in England and Wales
Maximum penalty on summary conviction in Scotland
Maximum penalty on summary conviction in Northern Ireland
6 months’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
6 months' imprisonment, a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000), or both.
6 months' imprisonment, a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000), or both