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Title 19 — Customs Duties

Part II · Chapter 4 — Tariff Act of 1930

§ 1453. Lading and unlading of merchandise or baggage; penalties

Statutory text

If any merchandise or baggage is laden on, or unladen from, any vessel or vehicle without a special license or permit therefor issued by the appropriate customs officer, the master of such vessel or the person in charge of such vehicle and every other person who knowingly is concerned, or who aids therein, or in removing or otherwise securing such merchandise or baggage, shall each be liable to a penalty equal to the value of the merchandise or baggage so laden or unladen, and such merchandise or baggage shall be subject to forfeiture, and if the value thereof is $500 or more, the vessel or vehicle on or from which the same shall be laden or unladen shall be subject to forfeiture.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Pub. L. 71–497 · 46 Stat. 590

    Enacted · 19 U.S.C. § 1453

    June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 453, 46 Stat. 716

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 453, 46 Stat. 716

  2. Pub. L. 91–271 title III § 301(b) · 84 Stat. 273

    Substituted · 19 U.S.C. § 1453

    Pub. L. 91–271 substituted reference to appropriate customs officer for reference to collector

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 91–271 substituted reference to appropriate customs officer for reference to collector.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (b) Sections 311, 315, 432, 434. 438, 441, 443–447. 449–450, 452–455, 457, 485, 490, 492, 496, 521. 555, 562, 584, 586, 609, 613, and 614 (19 U.S.U 1311, 1315, 1432, 1434, 1438, 1441, 1443–1447, 1449–1450, 1452–1455, 1457, 1485, 1490, 1492, 1496, 1521, 1555, 1562, 1584, 1586, 1609, 1613, and 1614) are amended by striking the word “collector” wherever 67 Stat. 508; 49 Stat. 524. it appears in the sections and inserting hr lieu thereof “appropriate customs officer”.

    Effective date note
    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.

1 of 2 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 453, 42 Stat. 955. That section was superseded by section 453 of act , comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Provisions imposing penalties and forfeitures for violation of R.S. § 2872, which required a special license for unloading or delivering merchandise otherwise than in open day, were contained in R.S. §§ 2873 and 2874, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989.

Amendments

1970—Pub. L. 91–271 substituted reference to appropriate customs officer for reference to collector.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

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.

Credits

1930–1970 · 2 acts
  1. 1930June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 453, 46 Stat. 716
  2. 1970Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(b), , 84 Stat. 287.
Show as published

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 453, 46 Stat. 716; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(b), , 84 Stat. 287.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc19.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-09-09

USLM identifier /us/usc/t19/s1453