To avoid unnecessary inspection of merchandise imported from a contiguous country at the first port of arrival, the master of the vessel or the person in charge of the vehicle in which such merchandise is imported may apply to the customs officer of the United States stationed in the place from which such merchandise is shipped, and such officer may seal such vessel or vehicle. Any vessel or vehicle so sealed may proceed with such merchandise to the port of destination under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe.
(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 463, 46 Stat. 718.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
As enacted by act June 17, 1930, the catchline for this section was “Same—sealed vessels and vehicles”, as this section was intended to be read as a continuation of the provisions introduced in section 1459 of this title. When first enacted, section 1459 of this title related to arrival in the United States from a contiguous country but has since been amended by Pub. L. 99–570 to relate to arrival more generally.
Prior ProvisionsProvisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 463, 42 Stat. 957. That section was superseded by section 463 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.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, and further provisions requiring the vessel, car, or vehicle sealed to proceed without unnecessary delay to the port of destination and be there inspected, and providing that nothing contained therein should exempt the vessel, car, or vehicle from examinations to prevent frauds, were contained in R.S. § 3102, and provisions authorizing and requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to make regulations for sealing vessels, cars, etc., were contained in section 3103, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989.