Title 18Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§1915 Compromise of customs liabilities

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 93— - PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES › § 1915

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

A U.S. officer who, without authority, cancels or reduces customs fines, penalties, or forfeitures or frees others or property from them faces a fine, up to two years imprisonment, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §1915

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever, being an officer of the United States, without lawful authority compromises or abates or attempts to compromise or abate any claim of the United States arising under the customs laws for any fine, penalty or forfeiture, or in any manner relieves or attempts to relieve any person, vessel, vehicle, merchandise or baggage therefrom, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on section 1616 of title 19, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Customs Duties (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 616, 46 Stat. 757). Designation of the offense as a felony was omitted as unnecessary in view of definitive section 1 of this title. (See reviser’s note under section 550 of this title.) Words “and upon conviction thereof” were also omitted as unnecessary, since punishment could not be imposed until after conviction. Changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 1915

Title 18Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73