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Title 19 — Customs DutiesRelease 119-73

§1616a Disposition of forfeited property

Title 19 › Chapter CHAPTER 4— - TARIFF ACT OF 1930 › Subtitle SUBTITLE III— - ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Part Part V— - Enforcement Provisions › § 1616a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Treasury can stop a federal forfeiture case and let State law handle the property instead. If a federal forfeiture complaint has already been filed, the Attorney General can ask a court to dismiss it so the State can take over. If the federal case is stopped, the United States can give the seized property to the proper State or local official and must tell all known interested parties about the decision. The Secretary may keep forfeited property for official use or give it to another Federal agency, a State or local law enforcement agency that helped, or the Civil Air Patrol. The Secretary can also give personal property or sale money to a foreign country that helped if the Secretary of State agrees, an international agreement allows it, and the country meets the rules in 22 U.S.C. 2291j(b). Aircraft can go to the Civil Air Patrol for search, rescue, and, under a written agreement, drug surveillance, but jet-powered planes cannot be transferred. After the property is given away, the United States is not responsible for things that happen to it.

Full Legal Text

Title 19, §1616a

Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of the Treasury may discontinue forfeiture proceedings under this chapter in favor of forfeiture under State law. If a complaint for forfeiture is filed under this chapter, the Attorney General may seek dismissal of the complaint in favor of forfeiture under State law.
(b)If forfeiture proceedings are discontinued or dismissed under this section—
(1)the United States may transfer the seized property to the appropriate State or local official; and
(2)notice of the discontinuance or dismissal shall be provided to all known interested parties.
(c)(1)The Secretary of the Treasury may apply property forfeited under this chapter in accordance with subparagraph (A) or (B), or both:
(A)Retain any of the property for official use.
(B)Transfer any of the property to—
(i)any other Federal agency;
(ii)any State or local law enforcement agency that participated directly or indirectly in the seizure or forfeiture of the property; or
(iii)the Civil Air Patrol.
(2)The Secretary may transfer any forfeited personal property or the proceeds of the sale of any forfeited personal or real property to any foreign country which participated directly or indirectly in the seizure or forfeiture of the property, if such a transfer—
(A)has been agreed to by the Secretary of State;
(B)is authorized in an international agreement between the United States and the foreign country; and
(C)is made to a country which, if applicable, has been certified under section 2291j(b) of title 22.
(3)Aircraft may be transferred to the Civil Air Patrol under paragraph (1)(B)(iii) in support of air search and rescue and other emergency services and, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding entered into with a Federal agency, illegal drug traffic surveillance. Jet-powered aircraft may not be transferred to the Civil Air Patrol under the authority of paragraph (1)(B)(iii).
(d)The United States shall not be liable in any action relating to property transferred under this section if such action is based on an act or omission occurring after the transfer.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Another section 616 of act June 17, 1930, as added by Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 318, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2055, was classified to section 1616 of this title and subsequently repealed.

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 103–447 substituted “section 2291j(b) of title 22” for “section 2291(h) of title 22”. 1989—Subsec. (c)(1)(B). Pub. L. 101–207, § 3(e)(1), amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (B) read as follows: “Transfer any of the property to any— “(i) other Federal agency; or “(ii) State or local law

Enforcement

agency that participated directly or indirectly in the seizure or forfeiture of the property.” Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 101–207, § 3(e)(2), added par. (3). 1988—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–690 amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: “The Secretary of the Treasury may transfer any property forfeited under this chapter to any other Federal agency or to any State or local law

Enforcement

agency which participated directly in the seizure or forfeiture of the property.” 1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–570 inserted “any other Federal agency or to” after “property forfeited under this chapter to”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1988 Amendment Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7366(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4479, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] applies with respect to property forfeited under the Tariff Act of 1930 [this chapter] on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 18, 1988].”

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 15, 1984, see section 214(e) of Pub. L. 98–573, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1984 Amendment note under section 1304 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

19 U.S.C. § 1616a

Title 19 — Customs Duties

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73