                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
                      CHAPTER 4--TARIFF ACT OF 1930
 
                 SUBTITLE III--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
 
      Part II--Report, Entry, and Unlading of Vessels and Vehicles
 
Sec. 1455. Boarding and discharging inspectors

    The appropriate customs officer for the district in which any vessel 
or vehicle arrives from a foreign port or place may put on board of such 
vessel or vehicle while within such district, and if necessary while 
going from one district to another, one or more inspectors or other 
customs officers to examine the cargo and contents of such vessel or 
vehicle and superintend the unlading thereof, and to perform such other 
duties as may be required by law or the customs regulations for the 
protection of the revenue. Such inspector or other customs officer may, 
if he shall deem the same necessary for the protection of the revenue, 
secure the hatches or other communications or outlets of such vessel or 
vehicle with customs seals or other proper fastenings while such vessel 
is not in the act of unlading and such fastenings shall not be removed 
without permission of the inspector or other customs officer. Such 
inspector or other customs officer may require any vessel or vehicle to 
discontinue or suspend unlading during the continuance of unfavorable 
weather or any conditions rendering the discharge of cargo dangerous or 
detrimental to the revenue. Any officer, owner, agent of the owner, or 
member of the crew of any such vessel who obstructs or hinders any such 
inspector or other customs officer in the performance of his duties, 
shall be liable to a penalty of not more than $500.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, Sec. 455, 46 Stat. 716; Pub. L. 91-
271, title III, Sec. 301(b), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 287.)


                            Prior Provisions

    Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act 
Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, Sec. 454, 42 Stat. 955. That section 
was superseded by section 455 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this 
section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.
    Provisions on the subject matter of this section were contained in 
R.S. Secs. 2834 (as amended by act Mar. 3, 1897, ch. 389, Sec. 15, 29 
Stat. 691), 2875, and 3070; and special provisions for particular ports 
in sections 2588, 2590 and 2832. Provisions as to the duties of 
inspectors, the records to be kept and returns to be made by them and 
the comparison of their returns with the manifests and entries, were 
contained in R.S. Secs. 2876, 2877, 2888 and 2889. All the foregoing 
sections were repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, 
Sec. 642, 42 Stat. 989.


                               Amendments

    1970--Pub. L. 91-271 substituted reference to appropriate customs 
officer for reference to collector.


                    Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

    For 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.
