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18 U.S.C. § 1701

U.S. CodeFederalPositive Law
Obstruction of mails generally
About This Law
/us/usc/t18/s1701
Title
18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Chapter
PTI/CH83
Release
119-84
Release Date
2026-04-17

Section Text

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Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs or retards the passage of the mail, or any carrier or conveyance carrying the mail, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 778; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(B), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2146.) Historical and Revision NotesBased on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 324, 325 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §§ 201, 202, 35 Stat. 1127). Sections 324 and 325 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., were consolidated with changes of phraseology necessary to effect consolidation. Words “carriage, horse, driver or”, “car, steamboat”, and “or vessel” were omitted as covered by “any carrier or conveyance”. The punishment provision is derived from said section 324 rather than from section 325 which provided only a fine of not more than $100 and related only to ferrymen. Editorial Notes Amendments1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $100”.

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