It is unlawful-
(1) to fail to comply with section 1431, 1433, or 1434 of this title or section 60105 of title 46;
(2) to present or transmit, electronically or otherwise, any forged, altered, or false document, paper, information, data or manifest to the Customs Service under section 1431, 1433(d), or 1434 of this title or section 60105 of title 46 without revealing the facts;
(3) to fail to make entry or to obtain clearance as required by section 1434 or 1644 of this title, section 60105 of title 46, or section 1644a(b)(1) or (c)(1) of this title; or
(4) to fail to comply with, or violate, any regulation prescribed under any section referred to in any of paragraphs (1) through (3).
Any master, person in charge of a vehicle, or aircraft pilot who commits any violation listed in subsection (a) is liable for a civil penalty of $5,000 for the first violation, and $10,000 for each subsequent violation, and any conveyance used in connection with any such violation is subject to seizure and forfeiture.
In addition to being liable for a civil penalty under subsection (b), any master, person in charge of a vehicle, or aircraft pilot who intentionally commits any violation listed in subsection (a) is, upon conviction, liable for a fine of not more than $2,000 or imprisonment for 1 year, or both; except that if the conveyance has, or is discovered to have had, on board any merchandise (other than sea stores or the equivalent for conveyances other than vessels) the importation of which into the United States is prohibited, such individual is liable for an additional fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both.
If any merchandise (other than sea stores or the equivalent for conveyances other than a vessel) is imported or brought into the United States in or aboard a conveyance which was not properly reported or entered, the master, person in charge of a vehicle, or aircraft pilot shall be liable for a civil penalty equal to the value of the merchandise and the merchandise may be seized and forfeited unless properly entered by the importer or consignee. If the merchandise consists of any controlled substance listed in section 1584 of this title, the master, individual in charge of a vehicle, or pilot shall be liable to the penalties prescribed in that section.
A civil penalty shall be imposed against the United States Postal Service if the Postal Service accepts a shipment in violation of section 1415(a)(3)(K)(vii)(I) of this title.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall reduce or dismiss a civil penalty imposed pursuant to paragraph (1) if U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines that the United States Postal Service-
(i) has a low error rate in compliance with section 1415(a)(3)(K) of this title;
(ii) is cooperating with U.S. Customs and Border Protection with respect to the violation of section 1415(a)(3)(K)(vii)(I) of this title; or
(iii) has taken remedial action to prevent future violations of section 1415(a)(3)(K)(vii)(I) of this title.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall issue a written notification to the Postal Service with respect to each exercise of the authority of subparagraph (A) to reduce or dismiss a civil penalty imposed pursuant to paragraph (1).
If U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines that the United States Postal Service-
(A) has repeatedly committed violations of section 1415(a)(3)(K)(vii)(I) of this title,
(B) has failed to cooperate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection with respect to violations of section 1415(a)(3)(K)(vii)(I) of this title, and
(C) has an increasing error rate in compliance with section 1415(a)(3)(K) of this title,
civil penalties may be imposed against the United States Postal Service until corrective action, satisfactory to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, is taken.
(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, §436,
In subsec. (a)(1) to (3), "section 60105 of title 46" substituted for "section 4197 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (46 U.S.C. App. 91)" on authority of
In subsec. (a)(3), "section 1644a(b)(1) or (c)(1) of this title" substituted for "section 1109 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. App. 1509)" on authority of
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in R.S. §2834, as amended by act Mar. 3, 1897, ch. 389, §15,
2018-Subsec. (e).
1996-Subsec. (a)(2).
1993-
Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (a)(2), (3).
"(2) to present any forged, altered, or false document, paper, or manifest to a customs officer under section 1433(d) of this title without revealing the facts;
"(3) to fail to make entry as required by section 1434, 1435, or 1644 of this title or section 1509 of title 49, Appendix; or".
1986-
"Every master who presents a forged, altered, or false document or paper on making entry of a vessel as required by section 1434 or 1435 of this title, knowing the same to be forged, altered, or false and without revealing the fact, shall, in addition to any forfeiture to which in consequence the vessel may be subject, be liable to a fine of not more than $5,000 nor less than $50 or to imprisonment for not more than two years, or to both such fine and imprisonment."
1935-Act Aug. 5, 1935, inserted provisions relating to additional penalty for vessel carrying nonimportable merchandise or liquor and added second par.
For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in