biswell argued march decided may warrantless search locked storeroom business hours part inspection procedure authorized gun control act resulted seizure unlicensed firearms dealer federally licensed deal sporting weapons held violative fourth amendment pp reversed remanded white delivered opinion burger brennan stewart marshall powell rehnquist joined blackmun filed opinion concurring result post douglas filed dissenting opinion post kent greenawalt argued cause brief solicitor general griswold assistant attorney general petersen jerome feit beatrice rosenberg kirby patterson warren reynolds argued cause filed brief respondent john edmunds melvin wulf filed brief american civil liberties union amicus curiae urging affirmance justice white delivered opinion gun control act stat et authorizes official entry business hours premises including places storage firearms ammunition dealer purpose inspecting examining records documents required kept firearms ammunition kept stored dealer premises respondent pawn shop operator federally licensed deal sporting weapons visited one afternoon city policeman federal treasury agent identified inspected respondent books requested entry locked gun storeroom respondent asked whether agent search warrant investigator told authorized inspections respondent given copy section read replied well says guess okay respondent unlocked storeroom agent found seized two rifles respondent licensed possess indicted convicted dealing firearms without paid required special occupational tax appeals reversed however holding unconstitutional fourth amendment authorized warrantless searches business premises respondent ostensible consent search invalid bumper north carolina appeals concluded rifles illegally seized inadmissible evidence granted certiorari reverse judgment appeals appeals correctly recognized occasion see city seattle consider reach fourth amendment respect various federal regulatory statutes colonnade catering dealt statutory authorization warrantless inspections federally licensed dealers alcoholic beverages federal inspectors without warrant without owner permission forcibly entered locked storeroom seized illegal liquor emphasizing historically broad authority government regulate liquor industry approval similar inspection laws kind boyd concluded congress ample power design powers inspection liquor laws deems necessary meet evils hand found however congress expressly provided forcible entry absence warrant instead given government agents remedy making criminal offense refuse admission inspectors search accompanied unauthorized force target inspection federally licensed liquor dealer clear colonnade fourth amendment bar seizure illicit liquor officers asked inspect respondent locked storeroom merely asserting statutory right respondent notice identity legal basis action respondent submission lawful authority decision step aside permit inspection rather face criminal prosecution analogous acquiescence search pursuant warrant alternative possible criminal prosecution refusing entry forcible entry neither case lawfulness search depend consent lawful authority independent householder might things equal prefer search context bumper north carolina inapposite since police relied warrant never shown valid demand entry pursuant lawful authority acquiescence householder held involuntary consent context regulatory inspection system business premises carefully limited time place scope legality search depends consent authority valid statute think like result required present case involves similar inspection system aimed federally licensed dealers firearms federal regulation interstate traffic firearms deeply rooted history governmental control liquor industry close scrutiny traffic undeniably central importance federal efforts prevent violent crime assist regulating firearms traffic within borders see congressional findings declaration note preceding large interests stake inspection crucial part regulatory scheme since assures weapons distributed regular channels traceable manner makes possible prevention sales undesirable customers detection origin particular firearms also apparent law properly enforced inspection made effective inspections without warrant must deemed reasonable official conduct fourth amendment see city seattle mission inspection system discover correct violations building code conditions relatively difficult conceal correct short time periodic inspection sufficed inspection warrants required privacy given measure protection little threat effectiveness inspection system issue expressly refrained case questioning warrantless regulatory search authorized gun control act inspection effective serve credible deterrent unannounced even frequent inspections essential context prerequisite warrant easily frustrate inspection necessary flexibility time scope frequency preserved protections afforded warrant negligible also plain inspections compliance gun control act pose limited threats dealer justifiable expectations privacy dealer chooses engage pervasively regulated business accept federal license knowledge business records firearms ammunition subject effective inspection licensee annually furnished revised compilation ordinances describe obligations define inspector authority dealer left wonder purposes inspector limits task little difficulty concluding regulatory inspections urgent federal interest possibilities abuse threat privacy impressive dimensions inspection may proceed without warrant specifically authorized statute seizure respondent rifles unreasonable fourth amendment judgment appeals reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered footnotes respondent licensed sell certain sporting weapons defined rifles however fell technical definition firearms every dealer firearms required pay special occupational tax year firearms also required registered dealer national firearms registration transfer record respondent indicted six counts count convicted charged wilfully knowingly engaged business dealer firearms defined without paid special occupational tax required business counts acquitted charged possessed certain firearms identified serial number required registered national firearms registration transfer record required count vi charged respondent failing maintain properly records required severed awaiting trial seizure stolen goods authorized common law seizure goods forfeited breach revenue laws concealed avoid duties payable authorized english statutes least two centuries past like seizures authorized revenue acts commencement government first statute passed congress regulate collection duties act july stat contains provisions effect act passed congress proposed adoption original amendments constitution clear members body regard searches seizures kind unreasonable embraced within prohibition amendment case excisable dutiable articles government interest payment duties thereon duties paid right keep observation pursue drag concealment omitted congress made crime violate provision gun control act justice blackmun concurring result member colonnade catering decided joined respective dissenting opinions justice black chief justice therefore concur result justice douglas dissenting justice clark writing panel appeals tenth circuit said federal gun control act provision inspection almost identical one colonnade catering present one provides secretary may enter business hours premises including places storage firearms ammunition dealer purpose inspecting examining records documents required kept firearms ammunition kept stored dealer secretary delegate may enter business hours premises dealer purpose inspecting examining records documents required kept chapter colonnade agreed congress broad power design powers inspection liquor laws deems necessary meet evils hand also said congress authorized inspection made rules governing procedure inspectors must follow fourth amendment various restrictive rules apply view search conducted objection owner premises sought searched forcible whether violent means used effect search case owner withdrew objection upon shown copy statute authorizing inspection saying law guess right apply test consent used bumper north carolina affirm judgment justice stewart speaking bumper said prosecutor seeks rely upon consent justify lawfulness search burden proving consent fact freely voluntarily given burden discharged showing acquiescence claim lawful authority search conducted reliance upon warrant later justified basis consent turns warrant invalid result different turns state even attempt rely upon validity warrant fails show fact warrant law enforcement officer claims authority search home warrant announces effect occupant right resist search situation instinct coercion albeit colorably lawful coercion coercion consent majority concludes bumper inapposite case bumper holds otherwise invalid search legitimated occupant consent law enforcement officer assertion authority bumper inapposite one already concluded consent irrelevant validity search issue