TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I - CRIMES
CHAPTER 27 - CUSTOMS
HEAD
Sec. 546. Smuggling goods into foreign countries
STATUTE
Any person owning in whole or in part any vessel of the United
States who employs, or participates in, or allows the employment
of, such vessel for the purpose of smuggling, or attempting to
smuggle, or assisting in smuggling, any merchandise into the
territory of any foreign government in violation of the laws there
in force, if under the laws of such foreign government any penalty
or forfeiture is provided for violation of the laws of the United
States respecting the customs revenue, and any citizen of, or
person domiciled in, or any corporation incorporated in, the United
States, controlling or substantially participating in the control
of any such vessel, directly or indirectly, whether through
ownership of corporate shares or otherwise, and allowing the
employment of said vessel for any such purpose, and any person
found, or discovered to have been, on board of any such vessel so
employed and participating or assisting in any such purpose, shall
be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or
both.
It shall constitute an offense under this section to hire out or
charter a vessel if the lessor or charterer has knowledge or
reasonable grounds for belief that the lessee or person chartering
the vessel intends to employ such vessel for any of the purposes
described in this section and if such vessel is, during the time
such lease or charter is in effect, employed for any such purpose.
SOURCE
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 717; Pub. L. 103-322, title
XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES
Based on section 1702 of title 19, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Customs
Duties (Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, title I, Sec. 2, 49 Stat. 518).
Changes were made in phraseology.
REFERENCES IN TEXT
The laws of the United States respecting the customs revenue,
referred to in text, are classified generally to Title 19, Customs
Duties.
AMENDMENTS
1994 - Pub. L. 103-322 substituted "fined under this title" for
"fined not more than $5,000" in first par.
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