PRIA Logo™
Title 30 — Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-73not60

§1466 Civil Forfeitures

Title 30 › Chapter 26— DEEP SEABED HARD MINERAL RESOURCES › Subchapter III— ENFORCEMENT AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS › § 1466

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States can take ownership of a ship that is already covered by related rules, plus its gear, supplies, cargo, and any hard minerals that were recovered, processed, or kept because of a banned act. The government can seize all or part of the ship and the minerals through a civil court case, and the usual customs rules about seizing and selling ships or cargo apply when they fit. A federal district court can order the forfeiture when the Attorney General asks. If the court rules for the government, the Attorney General may seize any forfeited items not already taken or guaranteed. A person who claims the property can stop the seizure by giving a satisfactory bond or other security. That bond must promise to turn in the property if the court orders it or to pay its value, and the court can make the bond pay if its conditions are broken. Hard minerals found on a seized ship are presumed to have been taken or handled illegally unless the owner proves otherwise.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §1466

Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any vessel subject to the provisions of section 1464 and 1465 of this title, including its gear, furniture, appurtenances, stores, and cargo, which is used, in any manner, in connection with or as a result of the commission of any act prohibited by section 1461 of this title and any hard mineral resource which is recovered, processed, or retained, in any manner, in connection with or as a result of the commission of any such act, shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. All or part of such vessel, and all such hard mineral resources, may be forfeited to the United States pursuant to a civil proceeding under this section. All provisions of law relating to the seizure, judicial forfeiture, and condemnation of a vessel or cargo for violation of the customs laws, and the disposition of the vessel, cargo, or proceeds from the sale thereof and the remission or mitigation of such forfeitures shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred or alleged to have been incurred under the provisions of this section insofar as such provisions of law are applicable and not inconsistent with this chapter.
(b)Any district court of the United States which has jurisdiction under section 1467 of this title shall have jurisdiction, upon application by the Attorney General on behalf of the United States, to order any forfeiture authorized under subsection (a) and any action provided for under subsection (d).
(c)If a judgment is entered for the United States in a civil forfeiture proceeding under this section, the Attorney General may seize any property or other interest declared forfeited to the United States which has not previously been seized pursuant to this chapter or for which security has not previously been obtained under subsection (d).
(d)Any officer authorized to serve any process in rem which is issued by a court having jurisdiction under section 1467 of this title shall stay the execution of such process, or discharge any property seized pursuant to such process, upon the receipt of a satisfactory bond or other security from any person subject to section 1461 of this title claiming such property. Such bond or other security shall be conditioned upon such person (1) delivering such property to the appropriate court upon order thereof, without any impairment of its value; or (2) paying the monetary value of such property pursuant to any order of such court. Judgment shall be recoverable on such bond or other security against both the principal and any sureties in the event that any condition thereof is breached, as determined by such court.
(e)For purposes of this section, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that all hard mineral resources found on board a vessel subject to the provisions of section 1464 and 1465 of this title which is seized in connection with an act prohibited by section 1461 of this title were recovered, processed, or retained in violation of this chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 1466

Title 30 — Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60