16.—(1) The proper officer of customs may lock, seal or otherwise secure a container containing any goods at any place, including any free trade zone, in such manner as he thinks fit.
(2) A container freight station may be sealed, locked or protected in such manner as the proper officer of customs thinks fit.
(3) All costs and expenses incurred —
(a)
under paragraph (1), shall be borne by the owner of the container or the agent appointed by the owner to take charge of or to manage the container; and
(b)
under paragraph (2), shall be paid by the person who has been granted permission under regulation 11, in respect of the container freight station.
(4) No person shall, without the prior permission of the proper officer of customs, tamper with, open, break, alter or remove any lock, seal or other safeguards used in respect of a container or container freight station under paragraph (1) or (2) respectively.
(5) No person shall, without the written permission of a proper officer of customs —
(a)
possess a seal, which is to be or is issued by the Customs and Excise Department for the purpose of securing a container; or
(b)
use or re-use such a seal for that purpose.
(6) No person shall possess a seal which that person knew or had reason to believe at the time when he possessed it to be a counterfeit of a seal issued by the Customs and Excise Department for the purpose of securing a container or use that counterfeit seal to secure a container.