19 U.S.C. § 1453
Section 1453 · Lading and unlading of merchandise or baggage; penalties
This is the Tariff Act of 1930
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 5 court decisions — leading case C. Hiltebrant Dry Dock Co. v. United States (1938)
Most recently applied in C. Hiltebrant Dry Dock Co. v. United States (December 1938)
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.
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.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to those of 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 That section was superseded by section 453 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.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.
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.