18 USC § 1706 - Injury to mail bags

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s1706"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 1706 - Injury to mail bags"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "1706"
section_name: "Injury to mail bags"
chapter_number: 83
chapter_name: "POSTAL SERVICE"
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. 779; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)"
---


# § 1706. Injury to mail bags

Whoever tears, cuts, or otherwise injures any mail bag, pouch, or other thing used or designed for use in the conveyance of the mail, or draws or breaks any staple or loosens any part of any lock, chain, or strap attached thereto, with intent to rob or steal any such mail, or to render the same insecure, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

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**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 779; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 312 (, ).

A fine of “$1,000” was substituted for “$500” thus increasing the maximum to correspond with other comparable sections. (See .)

Minor verbal changes were made.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.