Search and seizure is a procedure used in many civil law and common law legal systems by which police or other authorities and their agents, who, suspecting that a crime has been committed, commence a search of a person's property and confiscate any relevant evidence found in connection to the crime.

Most countries require some type of court-authorized warrant for search and seizure to be lawfully carried out, but there is great variance. In South Africa, for example, police may ignore the need for a warrant if delay would defeat what they were trying to accomplish. In France the police have extensive powers of search and seizure in the case of flagrant offense and when a crime is being committed or has just been committed, but in other instances court authorization is required.

More Info: www.britannica.com