19 U.S.C. § 1619 Award of Compensation to Informers

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 19 U.S.C. § 1619

(a) In general

If-

(1) any person who is not an employee or officer of the United States-

(A) detects and seizes any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage subject to seizure and forfeiture under the customs laws or the navigation laws and reports such detection and seizure to a customs officer, or

(B) furnishes to a United States attorney, the Secretary of the Treasury, or any customs officer original information concerning-

(i) any fraud upon the customs revenue, or

(ii) any violation of the customs laws or the navigation laws which is being, or has been, perpetrated or contemplated by any other person; and

(2) such detection and seizure or such information leads to a recovery of-

(A) any duties withheld, or

(B) any fine, penalty, or forfeiture of property incurred;

the Secretary may award and pay such person an amount that does not exceed 25 percent of the net amount so recovered.

(b) Forfeited property not sold

If-

(1) any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage is forfeited to the United States and is thereafter, in lieu of sale-

(A) destroyed under the customs or navigation laws, or

(B) delivered to any governmental agency for official use, and

(2) any person would be eligible to receive an award under subsection (a) but for the lack of sale of such forfeited property,

the Secretary may award and pay such person an amount that does not exceed 25 percent of the appraised value of such forfeited property.

(c) Dollar limitation

The amount awarded and paid to any person under this section may not exceed $250,000 for any case.

(d) Source of payment

Unless otherwise provided by law, any amount paid under this section shall be paid out of appropriations available for the collection of the customs revenue.

(e) Recovery of bail bond

For purposes of this section, an amount recovered under a bail bond shall be deemed a recovery of a fine incurred.

Cite as 19 U.S.C. § 1619

Source: June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, §619, 46 Stat. 758; Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, title III, §305, 49 Stat. 527; Pub. L. 98-473, title II, §§319, 321, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2056; Pub. L. 98-573, title II, §213(a)(15), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2988; Pub. L. 99-570, title III, §3125, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207-88.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 8/10/2023

EDITORIAL NOTES

PRIOR PROVISIONS

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §619, 42 Stat. 988. That section was superseded by section 619 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.