Commentary on Sections Section 9: Detention and forfeiture of certain vehicles, ships and aircraft
Section 9 gives effect to Schedule 1 to the Act, which makes provision to enable courts in Northern Ireland to order the forfeiture of land vehicles, ships or aircraft used or intended for use in connection with human trafficking or slavery-like offences under sections 1 and 2.
Schedule 1 also provides a power for the police to detain a relevant land vehicle, ship or aircraft, where there are reasonable grounds to believe that a court could order its forfeiture in the event of a conviction.  These new powers replicate powers that applied in respect of the previous offences of human trafficking whilst extending the powers so that they also apply in respect of slavery-like offences.