(1) Subject to the provisions of this section and save as the Comptroller may otherwise permit—
(a) the master of any vessel arriving in the territorial sea of Saint Lucia from a place outside of Saint Lucia shall not cause or permit that vessel to arrive at any time at any place other than a customs port; and
(b) a person importing or concerned in importing any goods in any vessel shall not bring those goods into Saint Lucia at any place other than a customs port.
(2) A master or other person who contravenes or fails to comply with any requirement of subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $5,000, or 3 times the value of the goods whichever is the greater, and any goods imported in contravention of that subsection are liable to forfeiture.
(3) Subsection (1) shall not apply in relation to any vessel which is compelled by accident, stress of weather or other unavoidable cause to arrive at a place other than a customs port, but subject to subsection (5)—
(a) the master of any such vessel—
(i) shall immediately report the arrival of the vessel to an officer or police officer,
(ii) shall not, without the consent of an officer, permit any goods carried on the vessel to be unloaded from, or any passenger or member of the crew to depart from the vicinity of the vessel, and
(iii) shall comply with any direction given by an officer in respect of such goods;
(b) a passenger or member of the crew shall not, without the consent of an officer or a police officer leave the immediate vicinity of any such vessel.
(4) A master or other person who contravenes or fails to comply with any requirement of subsection (3) commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $5,000 and any goods imported in contravention of that subsection are liable to forfeiture.
(5) Subsection (3) does not prohibit—
(a) the departure of any passenger or member of the crew from the vicinity of a vessel; or
(b) the removal of goods from a vessel,
where that departure or removal is necessary for reasons of health, safety or the preservation of life or property.