                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
                      CHAPTER 4--TARIFF ACT OF 1930
 
                 SUBTITLE III--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
 
                     Part V--Enforcement Provisions
 
Sec. 1614. Release of seized property

    If any person claiming an interest in any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, 
merchandise, or baggage seized under the provisions of this chapter 
offers to pay the value of such vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, 
or baggage, as determined under section 1606 of this title, and it 
appears that such person has in fact a substantial interest therein, the 
appropriate customs officer may, subject to the approval of the 
Secretary of the Treasury if under the customs laws, or the Commandant 
of the Coast Guard or the Commissioner of Customs, as the case may be, 
if under the navigation laws, accept such offer and release the vessel, 
vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage seized upon the payment of 
such value thereof, which shall be distributed in the order provided in 
section 1613 of this title.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, Sec. 614, 46 Stat. 757; 1946 Reorg. 
Plan No. 3, Secs. 101-104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 
1097; Pub. L. 91-271, title III, Sec. 301(b), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 
287; Pub. L. 98-473, title II, Sec. 321, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2056; 
Pub. L. 98-573, title II, Sec. 213(a)(12), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 
2987.)

                       References in Text

    The customs laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to 
this title.
    The navigation laws, referred to in text, are classified generally 
to Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.


                            Prior Provisions

    Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act 
Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, Sec. 614, 42 Stat. 987. That section 
was superseded by section 614 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this 
section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.
    A prior provision authorizing collectors, subject to the approval of 
the Secretary of the Treasury, to release seized merchandise on payment 
of the appraised value when the appraised value did not exceed $1,000, 
were contained in R.S. Sec. 3081, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, 
ch. 356, title IV, Sec. 642, 42 Stat. 989.


                               Amendments

    1984--Pub. L. 98-573 and Pub. L. 98-473 inserted reference to 
aircraft in three places.
    1970--Pub. L. 91-271 substituted reference to the appropriate 
customs officer for reference to the collector.


                    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.

                          Transfer of Functions

    Substitution in text of reference to Commandant of the Coast Guard 
or Commissioner of Customs for ``the Secretary of Commerce'' under the 
authority of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, see Transfer of Functions note 
set out under section 1613 of this title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 1600, 2254 of this title.
