### Societies Ordinance 《社團條例》

31. Power of Societies Officer, etc., to enter place or premises kept as place of meeting
(1) Subject to subsection (2), the Societies Officer may, where he reasonably believes that it is necessary so to do in connection with the performance of his functions under this Ordinance, at all reasonable times enter into any place or premises which he has reason to believe is or are kept or used by any society or any of its members as a place of meeting or place of business. 
(2) No place or premises or any part thereof which is used for dwelling purposes shall be entered into under subsection (1) except by virtue of a warrant issued by a magistrate, where such magistrate is satisfied by information on oath that it is necessary for the Societies Officer to enter into the place or premises or part in connection with the performance of his functions under this Ordinance. 
(Replaced 75 of 1992 s. 21)

32. Power of entry in special cases
A magistrate may, if satisfied by information on oath that there is reasonable ground for believing that a society or a branch is being used or operated for any purpose that makes the prohibition of the operation or continued operation of the society or the branch necessary in the interests of public safety or public order or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others, issue a warrant authorizing the Societies Officer and such other persons as may be specified in the warrant to enter into and search any place or premises believed to be used as the place of meeting or place of business of the society or the branch and search the persons found therein or escaping therefrom for evidence that the society or the branch is being used for such purpose and seize or cause to be seized all documents or articles which the Societies Officer has reasonable cause to believe to be capable of being evidence in the prosecution of an offence under this Ordinance in connection with the society or the branch. 
(Replaced 75 of 1992 s. 21. Amended 118 of 1997 s. 15; 10 of 2008 s. 7; 6 of 2024 s. 138)

### Societies Ordinance 《社團條例》

33. Powers of entry and search
(1) Any police officer of or above the rank of inspector may, with or without assistance, using force, if reasonably necessary, enter into any dwelling-house or other building, or into any place in which he has reason to believe that a meeting of any unlawful society, or of persons who are members of an unlawful society, is being held, or that any books, accounts, writings, lists of members, seals, banners, insignia, arms or other articles belonging to any unlawful society are concealed, kept or deposited, and arrest or cause to be arrested all persons found in such house, building or place whom he has reasonable cause to believe are associated with the unlawful society and search such house, building or place, and seize or cause to be seized all books, accounts, writings, lists of members, seals, banners, insignia, arms and other articles which he has reasonable cause to believe to belong to any unlawful society or to be in any way connected therewith. (Amended 36 of 1982 s. 15; 75 of 1992 s. 22; L.N. 235 of 1996)
(2) All persons so arrested and all articles so seized may be detained in custody and brought before a magistrate to be dealt with according to law.

35. Consent to prosecution
Except in the case of persons charged under the provisions of sections 19, 20, 24 and 25 and of persons arrested under the provisions of section 33, no person shall be charged with an offence under this Ordinance or any rule made thereunder unless the prior consent in writing of the Secretary for Justice has been obtained.
(Amended 28 of 1961 s. 15; 75 of 1992 s. 24; L.N. 362 of 1997)

36. Forfeiture
Any books, accounts, writings, banners, insignia or other movable property belonging to any unlawful society shall upon order of a magistrate be forfeited and given to the Societies Officer for disposal in such manner as he may see fit. 
(Amended 75 of 1992 s. 25)

36A. Service of notices
Any notice or order to be served on a society under this Ordinance may be sent to the society by registered post addressed to the last known postal address of the society and any notice or order to be served on a person under this Ordinance may be sent to that person by registered post addressed to the last known postal address of that person. 
(Added 36 of 1982 s. 13. Amended 75 of 1992 s. 26)

### Societies Ordinance 《社團條例》

38. Protection of informers
Except as is hereinafter provided — (Amended 75 of 1992 s. 28)
(a) no information laid under this Ordinance shall be admitted in evidence in any civil or criminal proceedings whatsoever; 
(b) no witness shall be obliged or permitted to disclose the name and address of any informer under this Ordinance or to state any matter which might lead to his discovery; and 
(c)  if any books, documents or papers which are evidence or liable to inspection in any civil or criminal proceedings whatsoever under this Ordinance contained any entry in which any informer is named or described or which might lead to his discovery, the Court or magistrate shall cause all such passages to be concealed from view or to be obliterated so far as may be necessary to protect the informer from discovery but no further: 

Provided that if in any criminal proceedings under this Ordinance the Court or magistrate after full inquiry into the case is satisfied that the strict enforcement of the provisions of this section would be likely to cause a miscarriage of justice, the Court or magistrate may require the production of the original information and may permit inquiry and may require full disclosure concerning the informer. (Added 28 of 1961 s. 16)

39. Evidence
In any prosecution under this Ordinance the Court or magistrate may refer, for the purpose of evidence, to “The Triad Society or Heaven and Earth Association” by William Stanton and to any other published book or articles on the subject of unlawful societies in general or of particular unlawful societies which the Court or magistrate may consider to be of authority on the subject to which they relate. 
(Amended 36 of 1982 s. 15)

41. Rules
(1) The Chief Executive in Council may by rules prescribe or provide for— (Amended 13 of 1999 s. 3)
(a)-(f) (Repealed 75 of 1992 s. 30)(g) any fees payable in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance; (Added 28 of 1961 s. 18)
(h) generally, carrying into effect the provisions of this Ordinance in relation to any matters, whether similar or not to those in this subsection mentioned, as to which it may be expedient to make rules.
(2) Any rule made under this Ordinance may provide that a contravention thereof shall be an offence and may provide penalties for such offences not exceeding a fine at level 3 and imprisonment for 6 months. (Added 28 of 1961 s. 18. Amended L.N. 19 of 1987; 75 of 1992 s. 30; E.R. 3 of 2021)