(a) All taxable articles, goods, merchandise and commodities having a place of manufacture or origin within the territorial sovereignty of the United States, and being brought into the Virgin Islands from any place outside the Territory, shall remain in custody of the importing carrier (carrier which brings the taxable merchandise into the Virgin Islands) until properly entered and released by the Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue. The owner, master, or pilot of any importing carrier which shall fail to retain domestic cargo at the place of unlading until released under such regulations as the Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue may prescribe, shall be liable to a penalty equal to the excise taxes due and payable on such cargo.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue is authorized to release articles, goods, merchandise or commodities of domestic origin or manufacture without payment of excise taxes upon the giving of a bond to guarantee payment of such taxes within fifteen days after the last day of the month in which the shipment was released.
(c) All articles, goods, merchandise or commodities which remain in the custody of the importing carrier after the fifteenth day after the last day of the month of importation shall be stored by the importing carrier at the risk and expense of the importer and subject to the further order of the Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue.
(d) All articles, goods, merchandise and commodities which shall remain in custody of the importing carrier without proper entry for a period of one year shall be considered unclaimed and abandoned. Such articles shall be sold at a public sale under such regulations as the Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue may prescribe. The proceeds of such sale shall be disbursed according to the following priority: (1) all storage charges and expenses of sale, (2) all excise taxes, (3) all freight liens and demurrage charges, (4) with the remainder to be deposited to the Treasury of the Virgin Islands; Provided, That remaining proceeds may be paid over to the importer if a claim therefor is filed with the Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue not later than thirty days from date of sale.