R.S. § 251 derived from acts Feb. 10, 1830, ch. 11, §§ 14, 15, 3 Stat. 543; Aug. 6, 1846, ch. 84, § 5, 9 Stat. 55; May 14, 1856, Res. 9, 11 Stat. 144; June 30, 1864, ch. 172, § 8, 13 Stat. 221; July 14, 1870, ch. 255, § 34, 16 Stat. 271. R.S. § 251, which was also classified in part to section 427 of former Title 31, was repealed in part and reenacted as section 321(a)(5) of Title 31, Money and Finance, by Pub. L. 97–258, § 4(b), Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1067.

1970—Pub. L. 91–271 substituted reference to customs officers for reference to collectors.

Amendment by Pub. L. 91–271 effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after Oct. 1, 1970, and such other articles entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption prior to such date, or with respect to which a protest has not been disallowed in whole or in part before Oct. 1, 1970, see section 203 of Pub. L. 91–271, set out as a note under section 1500 of this title.

All offices of collector of customs, comptroller of customs, surveyor of customs, and appraiser of merchandise in Bureau of Customs of Department of the Treasury to which appointments were required to be made by President with advice and consent of Senate ordered abolished, with such offices to be terminated not later than December 31, 1966, by Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1965, eff. May 25, 1965, 30 F.R. 7035, 79 Stat. 1317, set out as a note under section 1 of this title. All functions of offices eliminated were already vested in Secretary of the Treasury by Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F.R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.