Title 21 — Food and DrugsRelease 119-73
§961 Prohibited acts B
Title 21 › Chapter CHAPTER 13— - DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - IMPORT AND EXPORT › § 961
Summary
Breaking section 954 or failing to tell the Attorney General about an import or export under section 971 can lead to penalties. Usually the penalty is a civil fine up to $25,000, and other rules in sections 842(c)(1) and 842(c)(3) apply to that fine. If the case is charged by information or indictment and a judge or jury finds you acted knowingly or on purpose, you can be sent to jail for up to one year, fined up to $25,000, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 21, §961
Food and Drugs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any person who violates section 954 of this title or fails to notify the Attorney General of an importation or exportation under section 971 of this title shall be subject to the following penalties:
(1)Except as provided in paragraph (2), any such person shall, with respect to any such violation, be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $25,000. section 842(c)(1) and (c)(3) of this title shall apply to any civil penalty assessed under this paragraph.
(2)If such a violation is prosecuted by an information or indictment which alleges that the violation was committed knowingly or intentionally and the trier of fact specifically finds that the violation was so committed, such person shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or a fine of not more than $25,000 or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1988—Pub. L. 100–690 inserted “or fails to notify the Attorney General of an importation or exportation under section 971 of this title”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–690 effective 120 days after Nov. 18, 1988, see section 6061 of Pub. L. 100–690, set out as a note under section 802 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective on first day of seventh calendar month that begins after Oct. 26, 1970, see 1105(a) of Pub. L. 91–513, set out as a under section 951 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
21 U.S.C. § 961
Title 21 — Food and Drugs
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73