                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
                      CHAPTER 4--TARIFF ACT OF 1930
 
                 SUBTITLE III--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
 
                     Part V--Enforcement Provisions
 
Sec. 1607. Seizure; value $500,000 or less, prohibited articles, 
        transporting conveyances
        

(a) Notice of seizure

    If--
        (1) the value of such seized vessel, vehicle, aircraft, 
    merchandise, or baggage does not exceed $500,000;
        (2) such seized merchandise is merchandise the importation of 
    which is prohibited;
        (3) such seized vessel, vehicle, or aircraft was used to import, 
    export, transport, or store any controlled substance or listed 
    chemical; or
        (4) such seized merchandise is any monetary instrument within 
    the meaning of section 5312(a)(3) of title 31;

the appropriate customs officer shall cause a notice of the seizure of 
such articles and the intention to forfeit and sell or otherwise dispose 
of the same according to law to be published for at least three 
successive weeks in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury may 
direct. Written notice of seizure together with information on the 
applicable procedures shall be sent to each party who appears to have an 
interest in the seized article.

(b) ``Controlled substance'' and ``listed chemical'' defined

    As used in this section, the terms ``controlled substance'' and 
``listed chemical'' have the meaning given such terms in section 802 of 
title 21.

(c) Report to Congress

    The Commissioner of Customs shall submit to the Congress, by no 
later than February 1 of each fiscal year, a report on the total dollar 
value of uncontested seizures of monetary instruments having a value of 
over $100,000 which, or the proceeds of which, have not been deposited 
into the Customs Forfeiture Fund under section 1613b of this title 
within 120 days of seizure, as of the end of the previous fiscal year.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, Sec. 607, 46 Stat. 754; June 25, 
1938, ch. 679, Sec. 28(a), 52 Stat. 1089; Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1213, title 
V, Sec. 506, 68 Stat. 1141; Pub. L. 91-271, title III, Sec. 301(ee), 
June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 291; Pub. L. 95-410, title I, Sec. 111(a), Oct. 
3, 1978, 92 Stat. 897; Pub. L. 98-473, title II, Sec. 311, Oct. 12, 
1984, 98 Stat. 2053; Pub. L. 98-573, title II, Sec. 213(a)(4), Oct. 30, 
1984, 98 Stat. 2984; Pub. L. 101-382, title I, Sec. 122, Aug. 20, 1990, 
104 Stat. 642; Pub. L. 104-237, title II, Sec. 201(c), Oct. 3, 1996, 110 
Stat. 3101.)


                            Prior Provisions

    Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act 
Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, Sec. 607, 42 Stat. 985. That section 
was superseded by section 607 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this 
section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.
    Prior provisions for publication or posting of notice of seizure, 
requiring claimants to appear and file their claim, when the appraised 
value did not exceed $500, were contained in R.S. Sec. 3075, prior to 
repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, Sec. 642, 42 Stat. 989.


                               Amendments

    1996--Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 104-237, Sec. 201(c)(1), inserted ``or 
listed chemical'' after ``controlled substance''.
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104-237, Sec. 201(c)(2), amended subsec. (b) 
generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: ``As used in 
this section, the term `controlled substance' has the meaning given that 
term in section 802 of title 21.''
    1990--Pub. L. 101-382, Sec. 122(6), substituted ``$500,000'' for 
``$100,000'' in section catchline.
    Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101-382, Sec. 122(1), substituted 
``$500,000'' for ``$100,000''.
    Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 101-382, Sec. 122(2)-(4), added par. (4).
    Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101-382, Sec. 122(5), added subsec. (c).
    1984--Pub. L. 98-573 amended section generally. See explanation 
below for amendment by Pub. L. 98-473.
    Pub. L. 98-473 amended section generally in manner substantially 
identical to amendment by Pub. L. 98-573. Prior to amendment, section 
read as follows: ``If such value of such vessel, vehicle, merchandise, 
or baggage does not exceed $10,000, the appropriate customs officer 
shall cause a notice of the seizure of such articles and the intention 
to forfeit and sell or otherwise dispose of the same according to law to 
be published for at least three successive weeks in such manner as the 
Secretary of the Treasury may direct. For the purposes of this section 
and sections 1610 and 1612 of this title merchandise the importation of 
which is prohibited shall be held not to exceed $10,000 in value.''
    1978--Pub. L. 95-410 substituted ``$10,000'' for ``$2,500'' wherever 
appearing.
    1970--Pub. L. 91-271 substituted reference to appropriate customs 
officer for reference to collector, and struck out reference to 
appraiser's return of value.
    1954--Act Sept. 1, 1954, substituted ``$2,500'' for ``$1,000'' 
wherever appearing.
    1938--Act June 25, 1938, substituted ``forfeit and sell or otherwise 
dispose of the same according to law'' for ``forfeit and sell the 
same''.


                    Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 98-573 effective Oct. 15, 1984, see section 
214(e) of Pub. L. 98-573, set out as a note under section 1304 of this 
title.


                    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.


                    Effective Date of 1938 Amendment

    Amendment by act June 25, 1938, effective on thirtieth day following 
June 25, 1938, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 37 
of act June 25, 1938, set out as a note under section 1401 of this 
title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 1600, 1610, 1612 of this 
title.
