§1605. Seizure; custody; storage

All vessels, vehicles, aircraft, merchandise, and baggage seized under the provisions of the customs laws, or laws relating to the navigation, registering, enrolling or licensing, or entry or clearance, of vessels, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be placed and remain in the custody of the appropriate customs officer for the district in which the seizure was made to await disposition according to law.

Pending such disposition, the property shall be stored in such place as, in the customs officer's opinion, is most convenient and appropriate with due regard to the expense involved, whether or not the place of storage is within the judicial district or the customs collection district in which the property was seized; and storage of the property outside the judicial district or customs collection district in which it was seized shall in no way affect the jurisdiction of the court which would otherwise have jurisdiction over such property.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, §605, 46 Stat. 754 ; Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1213, title V, §505, 68 Stat. 1141 ; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, §301(cc), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 291 ; Pub. L. 98–473, title II, §321, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2056 ; Pub. L. 98–573, title II, §213(a)(2), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2984 .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §605, 42 Stat. 985 . That section was superseded by section 605 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Provisions substantially similar to those in this section so far as it relates to merchandise or property seized under the customs laws, were contained in R.S. §3086, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §642, 42 Stat. 989 .

Amendments

1984-Pub. L. 98–573 and Pub. L. 98–473 inserted reference to aircraft in first par.

1970-Pub. L. 91–271 substituted references to appropriate customs officer or customs officer for references to collector wherever appearing.

1954-Act Sept. 1, 1954, permitted collector of seized property to store it in such places as he considers convenient or appropriate, whether within or without the judicial district in which it was seized, without affecting the jurisdiction of the court over such property.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–573 effective Oct. 15, 1984, see section 214(e) of Pub. L. 98–573, set out as a note under section 1304 of this title.

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.