The bounty hunter npc's ingame act like a house police in every system they are in. They scan for contraband and demand it if found. They also help out police, if they get into trouble (since they are aligned).
Our real police players actually place fines and collect them, and only kill some troublesome folk.
I suggest that this should be possible for BHs too. Bounty hunters should be able to report violations and such forth with proof (screenshot) in an appropriate thread in the forum of the house police. Fines then will be released and upon retrieval of them they get shared among the BH that reported the violation.
Bounty Hunters should too be able to handle smugglers, if they try to flee.. shoot them. If they don't cooperate shoot them.
I always though of bounty hunters as a freelance police which is allowed in several systems, having the same rights as police regarding unlawful actions of others. But bounty hunters do all their stuff usually for money, so to act like police they need a share of the fines they place.