18 USC § 549 - Removing goods from customs custody; breaking seals

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s549"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 549 - Removing goods from customs custody; breaking seals"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "549"
section_name: "Removing goods from customs custody; breaking seals"
chapter_number: 27
chapter_name: "CUSTOMS"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 717; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 109–177, title III, § 311(e), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 242.)"
---


# § 549. Removing goods from customs custody; breaking seals

Whoever, without authority, affixes or attaches a customs seal, fastening, or mark, or any seal, fastening, or mark purporting to be a customs seal, fastening, or mark to any vessel, vehicle, warehouse, or package; or

Whoever, without authority, willfully removes, breaks, injures, or defaces any customs seal or other fastening or mark placed upon any vessel, vehicle, warehouse, or package containing merchandise or baggage in bond or in customs custody; or

Whoever maliciously enters any bonded warehouse or any vessel or vehicle laden with or containing bonded merchandise with intent unlawfully to remove therefrom any merchandise or baggage therein, or unlawfully removes any merchandise or baggage in such vessel, vehicle, or bonded warehouse or otherwise in customs custody or control; or

Whoever receives or transports any merchandise or baggage unlawfully removed from any such vessel, vehicle, or warehouse, knowing the same to have been unlawfully removed—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 717; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 109–177, title III, § 311(e), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 242.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on , U.S.C., 1940 ed., Customs Duties (, title IV, § 598, ; , ).

Reference to persons causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was omitted as unnecessary in view of definition of “principal” in .

In view of definition of felony in  words “guilty of a felony” were omitted. (See reviser’s note under .)

The punishment prescribed by  was inserted to make this section complete without reference to another section. In doing so it was necessary to rephrase the punishment provision of , as originally enacted, without change of substance.

Forfeiture provision was omitted to conform with current administrative practice.

Changes were made in phraseology.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006— substituted “10 years” for “two years” in last par.

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” in last par.