Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §§ 586, 587, 42 Stat. 980, 981. These sections were superseded by section 586 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Provisions somewhat similar to those in this section, but applicable only to vessels “bound to the United States” were contained in R.S. § 2867, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989.

Provisions substantially the same in effect as those contained in the act of 1922, § 587, except that the penalty was treble the value of the merchandise, and the provision for forfeiture applied only to the vessel was contained in R.S. § 2868, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989.

1993—Subsecs. (a) to (c). Pub. L. 103–182, § 620(1), inserted “, or of a hovering vessel which has received or delivered merchandise while outside the territorial sea,” after “from a foreign port or place”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 103–182, § 620(2), substituted “the Customs Service at the district” for “the appropriate customs officer of the district” and “the appropriate customs officer within the district” and “the Customs Service is satisfied” for “the appropriate customs officer is satisfied”.

1986—Subsecs. (a) to (d). Pub. L. 99–570, § 3119(1), substituted “$10,000” for “$1,000” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–570, § 3119(2)(A), substituted “customs waters” for “one league of the coast of the United States”.

Pub. L. 99–570, § 3119(2)(B), which directed that “15 years” be substituted for “2 years” was executed by making the substitution for “two years” as the probable intent of Congress.

1970—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 91–271 substituted references to appropriate customs officer for references to collector wherever appearing.

1935—Act Aug. 5, 1935, redesignated existing provisions as subsecs. (a) and (f) and added subsecs. (b) to (e).

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.

For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107–296 as of Nov. 25, 2002, see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114–125, and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.