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Title 19, Customs DutiesRelease 119-110

§1681b Enforcement

Title 19 › CHAPTER 4 — TARIFF ACT OF 1930 › SUBTITLE V — REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO IMPORTS OF CERTAIN CIGARETTES AND SMOKELESS TOBACCO PRODUCTS › § 1681b

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

If someone breaks the rules for importing cigarettes or smokeless tobacco, they must pay a civil penalty for each violation. The penalty is the larger of $1,000 or five times the tax amount set by chapter 52 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 on the products. This penalty is in addition to any tax and other penalties required by law. Any tobacco product, cigarette papers or tubes, or smokeless tobacco brought into the U.S. without following the rules can be taken by the United States or by the state where found. Even if other laws say otherwise, products taken under these rules must be destroyed.

Full Legal Text

Title 19, §1681b

Customs Duties, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Civil penalty
Any person who violates a provision of section 1681a of this title shall, in addition to the tax and any other penalty provided by law, be liable for a civil penalty for each violation equal to the greater of $1,000 or 5 times the amount of the tax imposed by chapter 52 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 on all cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products that are the subject of such violation.
(b)Forfeitures
Any tobacco product, cigarette papers, or tube, or any smokeless tobacco product, that was imported into the United States or is sought to be imported into the United States in violation of, or without meeting the requirements of, section 1681a of this title shall be forfeited to the United States, or to any State in which such tobacco product, cigarette papers, or tube is found. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any product forfeited to the United States, or to any State, pursuant to this subtitle shall be destroyed.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Chapter 52 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (a), is classified to section 5701 et seq. of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code. Codification Another section 803 of act June 17, 1930, is classified to section 1683a of this title.

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–432, § 401(e)(1), inserted “or smokeless tobacco products” after “cigarettes”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–432, § 401(d), (e)(3), in first sentence, inserted “, or any smokeless tobacco product,” before “that was imported” and “, or to any State in which such tobacco product, cigarette papers, or tube is found” before period at end and, in second sentence, inserted “, or to any State,” after “United States”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2006 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 109–432 applicable with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the 15th day after Dec. 20, 2006, see section 401(g) of Pub. L. 109–432, set out as a note under section 1681 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective 30 days after Nov. 9, 2000, see section 4004(b) of Pub. L. 106–476, set out as a note under section 1681 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

19 U.S.C. § 1681b

Title 19, Customs Duties

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110