31 U.S.C. § 9705 Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023 Edition
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-19 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/06/2023)

(a) IN GENERAL.-There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the "Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund" (referred to in this section as the "Fund"). The Fund shall be available to the Secretary, without fiscal year limitation, with respect to seizures and forfeitures made pursuant to any law (other than section 7301 or 7302 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) enforced or administered by the Department of the Treasury or the United States Coast Guard for the following law enforcement purposes:

(1)

(A) Payment of all proper expenses of seizure (including investigative costs incurred by a Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization leading to seizure) or the proceedings of forfeiture and sale, including the expenses of detention, inventory, security, maintenance, advertisement, or disposal of the property, and if condemned by a court and a bond for such costs was not given, the costs as taxed by the court.

(B) Payment for-

(i) contract services;

(ii) the employment of outside contractors to operate and manage properties or to provide other specialized services necessary to dispose of such properties in an effort to maximize the return from such properties; and

(iii) reimbursing any Federal, State, or local agency for any expenditures made to perform the functions described in this subparagraph.

(C) Awards of compensation to informers under section 619 of the Tariff Act of 1930 ( 19 U.S.C. 1619 ).

(D) Satisfaction of-

(i) liens for freight, charges, and contributions in general average, notice of which has been filed with the appropriate Customs officer according to law; and

(ii) subject to the discretion of the Secretary, other valid liens and mortgages against property that has been forfeited pursuant to any law enforced or administered by a Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization. To determine the validity of any such lien or mortgage, the amount of payment to be made, and to carry out the functions described in this subparagraph, the Secretary may employ and compensate attorneys and other personnel skilled in State real estate law.

(E) Payment of amounts authorized by law with respect to remission and mitigation.

(F) Payment of claims of parties in interest to property disposed of under section 612(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 ( 19 U.S.C. 1612(b) ), in the amounts applicable to such claims at the time of seizure.

(G) Equitable sharing payments made to other Federal agencies, State and local law enforcement agencies, and foreign countries pursuant to section 616(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930 ( 19 U.S.C. 1616a(c) ), section 981 of title 18, or subsection (h) of this section, and all costs related thereto.

(H) Payment for services of experts and consultants needed by a Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization to carry out the organization's duties relating to seizure and forfeiture.

(I) Payment of overtime salaries, travel, fuel, training, equipment, and other similar costs of State or local law enforcement officers that are incurred in joint law enforcement operations with a Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization.

(J) Payment made pursuant to guidelines promulgated by the Secretary, if such payment is necessary and directly related to seizure and forfeiture program expenses for-

(i) the purchase or lease of automatic data processing systems (not less than a majority of which use will be related to such program);

(ii) training;

(iii) printing; and

(iv) contracting for services directly related to-

(I) the identification of forfeitable assets;

(II) the processing of and accounting for forfeitures; and

(III) the storage, maintenance, protection, and destruction of controlled substances.

(2) At the discretion of the Secretary-

(A) payment of awards for information or assistance leading to a civil or criminal forfeiture involving any Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization participating in the Fund;

(B) purchases of evidence or information by-

(i) a Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization with respect to-

(I) a violation of section 1956 or 1957 of title 18 (relating to money laundering); or

(II) a law, the violation of which may subject property to forfeiture under section 981 or 982 of title 18;

(ii) the United States Customs Service with respect to drug smuggling or a violation of section 542 or 545 of title 18 (relating to fraudulent customs invoices or smuggling);

(iii) the United States Secret Service with respect to a violation of-

(I) section 1028, 1029, or 1030 of title 18;

(II) any law of the United States relating to coins, obligations, or securities of the United States or of a foreign government; or

(III) any law of the United States which the United States Secret Service is authorized to enforce relating to fraud or other criminal or unlawful activity in or against any federally insured financial institution, the Resolution Trust Corporation, or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;

(iv) the United States Customs Service or the Internal Revenue Service with respect to a violation of chapter 53 of this title (relating to the Bank Secrecy Act); and

(v) United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement with respect to a violation of chapter 77 of title 18 (relating to human trafficking), chapter 109A of title 18 (relating to sexual abuse), chapter 110 of title 18 (relating to child sexual exploitation), or chapter 117 of title 18 (relating to transportation for illegal sexual activity and related crimes);

(C) payment of costs for publicizing awards available under section 619 of the Tariff Act of 1930 ( 19 U.S.C. 1619 );

(D) payment for equipment for any vessel, vehicle, or aircraft available for official use by a Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization to enable the vessel, vehicle, or aircraft to assist in law enforcement functions, and for other equipment directly related to seizure or forfeiture, including laboratory equipment, protective equipment, communications equipment, and the operation and maintenance costs of such equipment;

(E) the payment of claims against employees of the Customs Service settled by the Secretary under section 630 of the Tariff Act of 1930;

(F) payment for equipment for any vessel, vehicle, or aircraft available for official use by a State or local law enforcement agency to enable the vessel, vehicle, or aircraft to assist in law enforcement functions if the vessel, vehicle, or aircraft will be used in joint law enforcement operations with a Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization;

(G) reimbursement of private persons for expenses incurred by such persons in cooperating with a Department of the Treasury law enforcement organization in investigations and undercover law enforcement operations; and

(H) payment for training foreign law enforcement personnel with respect to seizure or forfeiture activities of the Department of the Treasury.

(b) LIMITATIONS.-

(1) Any payment made under subparagraph (D) or (E) of subsection (a)(1) with respect to a seizure or a forfeiture of property shall not exceed the value of the property at the time of the seizure.

(2) Any payment made under subsection (a)(1)(G) with respect to a seizure or forfeiture of property shall not exceed the value of the property at the time of disposition.