Officers at the border can search a person, their luggage, personal belongings, and the vehicle or vessel that brought them to Canada if there are reasonable grounds to believe the person is hiding their identity, concealing relevant documents, or has committed or possesses documents related to people-smuggling or human trafficking offences.
(1)An officer may search any person seeking to come into Canada and may search their luggage and personal effects and the means of transportation that conveyed the person to Canada if the officer believes on reasonable grounds that the person (a)has not revealed their identity or has hidden on or about their person documents that are relevant to their admissibility; or (b)has committed, or possesses documents that may be used in the commission of, an offence referred to in section 117, 118 or 122.
(2)A search of a person under this section must be performed by a person of the same sex as the person being searched. If an officer of the same sex is not available, any suitable person of the same sex may be authorized by an officer to perform the search.