(1) Whenever-
(A) the entry of any imported merchandise is not made within the time provided by law or by regulation prescribed by the Secretary;
(B) the entry of imported merchandise is incomplete because of failure to pay the estimated duties, fees, or interest;
(C) in the opinion of the Customs Service, the entry of imported merchandise cannot be made for want of proper documents or other cause; or
(D) the Customs Service believes that any merchandise is not correctly and legally invoiced;
the carrier (unless subject to subsection (c)) shall notify the bonded warehouse of such unentered merchandise.
(2) After notification under paragraph (1), the bonded warehouse shall arrange for the transportation and storage of the merchandise at the risk and expense of the consignee. The merchandise shall remain in the bonded warehouse until-
(A) entry is made or completed and the proper documents are produced;
(B) the information and data necessary for entry are transmitted to the Customs Service pursuant to an authorized electronic data interchange system; or
(C) a bond is given for the production of documents or the transmittal of data.
At the request of the consignee of any merchandise, or of the owner or master of the vessel or the person in charge of the vehicle in which the same is imported, any merchandise may be taken possession of by the Customs Service after the expiration of one day after the entry of the vessel or report of the vehicle and may be unladen and held at the risk and expense of the consignee until entry thereof is made.
Any imported merchandise that-
(1) is described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (D) of subsection (a)(1); and
(2) is consigned to, or owned by, the United States Government;
shall be stored and disposed of in accordance with such rules and procedures as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe.
(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, §490,
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §490,
Prior provisions authorizing the collector to take possession of, or store merchandise were contained in the following sections, all of which were repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §642,
R.S. §2789, authorizing the collector, when an entry was imperfect, to take the merchandise into his custody until the quantity, quality, or value could be ascertained;
R.S. §2840, providing that when the collector should suspect that merchandise was not invoiced at a sum equal to that for which it had usually been sold, he should take possession and retain the same until its value had been ascertained and the duties paid or secured;
R.S. §2926, providing that merchandise of which incomplete entry had been made, or entry without specification of particulars, should be conveyed to some warehouse or designated by the collector to remain until the particulars, cost or value should have been ascertained, and the duties paid or secured, and a permit for delivery granted;
R.S. §2963, providing that when merchandise had not been entered it should be deposited in a public warehouse, and there remain until an invoice was produced, but that it should not be construed to prohibit sales of merchandise to discharge duties and charges;
R.S. §2964, authorizing the collector to take possession of merchandise, and deposit it in public stores, or other stores to be agreed on, in case of failure or neglect to pay duties, or when the owner, etc., should make entry for warehousing;
R.S. §2965, providing for the storage in a public warehouse, or private bonded warehouse, of unclaimed merchandise required to be taken possession of by collectors, and making provision for payment of charges and expenses;
R.S. §2966, as amended by act June 26, 1884, ch. 121, §24,
A prior provision authorizing the collector to require a bond for the production of proof to enable the collector to ascertain the class or description of manufacture, or rate of duty to which merchandise was liable, was contained in R.S. §2925, which was also repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §642,
1996-Subsec. (c)(1).
1993-Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c).
1970-
For effective date of amendment by
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