Writs of assistance allowed customs officers to _____________.

Writs of assistance allowed customs officers to _____________.

Deny voting rights to people who helped smugglers bring goods into the colonies.

Search shops, warehouses, and private residences for smuggled goods.

Quarter British soldiers in people’s homes without their permission.

Confiscate money from anyone believed to be working with smugglers.

Search shops, warehouses, and private residences for smuggled goods.

Writs of assistance allowed customs officers to search shops, warehouses, and private residences for smuggled goods.

Writs of assistance allowed customs officers to search shops, warehouses, and private residences for smuggled goods.

To find the answer to this question, one can start by understanding what writs of assistance are. Writs of assistance were legal documents issued by a court that granted customs officers the authority to search for contraband or smuggled goods.

By knowing the definition of writs of assistance, it becomes clear that the correct answer is the second option: search shops, warehouses, and private residences for smuggled goods. This was one of the main purposes of granting customs officers the power to use writs of assistance.