Title 19Customs DutiesRelease 119-73

§1607 Seizure; value $500,000 or less, prohibited merchandise, transporting conveyances

Title 19 › Chapter CHAPTER 4— - TARIFF ACT OF 1930 › Subtitle SUBTITLE III— - ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Part Part V— - Enforcement Provisions › § 1607

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lists four situations that matter for certain seizures: when the seized item is worth $500,000 or less; when the seized goods are banned from being imported; when a boat, car, or plane was used to bring in, move, or store a controlled substance or listed chemical; and when the seized item is a monetary instrument as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(3). The words "controlled substance" and "listed chemical" mean what section 802 of title 21 says. The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection must send Congress, by February 1 of each fiscal year, a report showing the total dollar amount of uncontested seizures of monetary instruments over $100,000 that have not been put into the Customs Forfeiture Fund under section 1613b within 120 days of seizure, measured as of the end of the previous fiscal year.

Full Legal Text

Title 19, §1607

Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)If—
(1)the value of such seized vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage does not exceed $500,000;
(2)such seized merchandise is merchandise the importation of which is prohibited;
(3)such seized vessel, vehicle, or aircraft was used to import, export, transport, or store any controlled substance or listed chemical; or
(4)such seized merchandise is any monetary instrument within the meaning of section 5312(a)(3) of title 31;
(b)As used in this section, the terms “controlled substance” and “listed chemical” have the meaning given such terms in section 802 of title 21.
(c)The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall submit to the Congress, by no later than February 1 of each fiscal year, a report on the total dollar value of uncontested seizures of monetary instruments having a value of over $100,000 which, or the proceeds of which, have not been deposited into the Customs Forfeiture Fund under section 1613b of this title within 120 days of seizure, as of the end of the previous fiscal year.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 607, 42 Stat. 985. That section was superseded by section 607 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Prior Provisions

for publication or posting of notice of seizure, requiring claimants to appear and file their claim, when the appraised value did not exceed $500, were contained in R.S. § 3075, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 104–237, § 201(c)(1), inserted “or listed chemical” after “controlled substance”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–237, § 201(c)(2), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “As used in this section, the term ‘controlled substance’ has the meaning given that term in section 802 of title 21.” 1990—Pub. L. 101–382, § 122(6), substituted “$500,000” for “$100,000” in section catchline. Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101–382, § 122(1), substituted “$500,000” for “$100,000”. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 101–382, § 122(2)–(4), added par. (4). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–382, § 122(5), added subsec. (c). 1984—Pub. L. 98–573 amended section generally. See explanation below for amendment by Pub. L. 98–473. Pub. L. 98–473 amended section generally in manner substantially identical to amendment by Pub. L. 98–573, on which text of section is based. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “If such value of such vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage does not exceed $10,000, the appropriate customs officer shall cause a notice of the seizure of such articles and the intention to forfeit and sell or otherwise dispose of the same according to law to be published for at least three successive weeks in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury may direct. For the purposes of this section and section 1610 and 1612 of this title merchandise the importation of which is prohibited shall be held not to exceed $10,000 in value.” 1978—Pub. L. 95–410 substituted “$10,000” for “$2,500” wherever appearing. 1970—Pub. L. 91–271 substituted reference to appropriate customs officer for reference to collector, and struck out reference to appraiser’s return of value. 1954—Act Sept. 1, 1954, substituted “$2,500” for “$1,000” wherever appearing. 1938—Act June 25, 1938, substituted “forfeit and sell or otherwise dispose of the same according to law” for “forfeit and sell the same”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection” substituted for “Commissioner of Customs” in subsec. (c) on authority of section 802(d)(2) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6, Domestic Security.

Effective Date

of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–573 effective Oct. 15, 1984, see section 214(e) of Pub. L. 98–573, set out as a note under section 1304 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1970 AmendmentFor

Effective Date

of amendment by Pub. L. 91–271, see section 203 of Pub. L. 91–271, set out as a note under section 1500 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1938 AmendmentAmendment by act
June 25, 1938, effective on thirtieth day following
June 25, 1938, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 37 of act
June 25, 1938, set out as a note under section 1401 of this title.

Transfer of Functions

For

Transfer of Functions

, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107–296 as of Nov. 25, 2002, see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114–125, and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

19 U.S.C. § 1607

Title 19Customs Duties

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73