It was the "Writs of Assistance" that gave British officials the right to enter and confiscate anything the owner could not prove was not <span>smuggled, which was one of the many factors leading to the outbreak of revolution. </span>
Writs of Assistance were a series of court orders that authorized officers to conduct searches that were non specific, it was all of premises for contraband. The Writs were introduced in Massachusetts in 1751.
Officials could not only inspect shops and warehouses but also private homes.
