How did a writ of assistance work?

How did a writ of assistance work?
 
  A) It helped colonial merchants cut through the red tape of imperial trade regulations.
  B) It allowed the British to search a colonial merchant's house where smuggled goods were suspected, without requiring proof or probable cause, and seize any items found.
  C) It required prosecutors to present evidence of probable cause for suspicion of smuggling in requesting a search warrant.
  D) It required that specified colonial products be landed in Britain before being shipped to other countries.
  E) It required that colonial commerce agents provide subsidies to merchants engaged in trade outside the British Empire.