18 U.S.C. § 547
Section 547 · Depositing goods in buildings on boundaries
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 8 court decisions — leading case State v. McMurry (1995)
Most recently applied in Hatfield v. Sessions (April 2018)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
Whoever receives or deposits any merchandise in any building upon the boundary line between the United States and any foreign country, or carries any merchandise through the same, in violation of law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on section 1596 of title 19, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Customs Duties (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, §596, 46 Stat. 752).
Reference to persons aiding, contained in words “or aids therein,” was omitted as such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title.
Changes were made in phraseology.
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
Cross References
Searches and seizures, see section 1595 of Title 19, Customs Duties.