                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
                      CHAPTER 4--TARIFF ACT OF 1930
 
                 SUBTITLE III--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
 
                     Part V--Enforcement Provisions
 
Sec. 1610. Seizure; judicial forfeiture proceedings

    If any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage is not 
subject to section 1607 of this title, the appropriate customs officer 
shall transmit a report of the case, with the names of available 
witnesses, to the United States attorney for the district in which the 
seizure was made for the institution of the proper proceedings for the 
condemnation of such property.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, Sec. 610, 46 Stat. 755; 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(b), Oct. 3, 1978, 92 Stat. 898; Pub. L. 98-473, title II, 
Sec. 314, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2054; Pub. L. 98-573, title II, 
Sec. 213(a)(7), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2985; Pub. L. 100-690, title 
VII, Sec. 7367(c)(3), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4480.)


                            Prior Provisions

    Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act 
Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, Sec. 610, 42 Stat. 985. That section 
was superseded by section 610 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this 
section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.


                               Amendments

    1988--Pub. L. 100-690 reenacted section without change.
    1984--Pub. L. 98-573 substituted ``If any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, 
merchandise, or baggage is not subject to section 1607 of this title'' 
for ``If the value of any vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage so 
seized is greater than $10,000''.
    Pub. L. 98-473 amended section in manner substantially identical to 
amendment by Pub. L. 98-573.
    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''.


                    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.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 1600 of this title.
