19 USC § 1605 - Seizure; custody; storage

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t19/s1605"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "19 USC § 1605 - Seizure; custody; storage"
title_number: 19
title_name: "CUSTOMS DUTIES"
section_number: "1605"
section_name: "Seizure; custody; storage"
chapter_number: 4
chapter_name: "TARIFF ACT OF 1930"
part_number: "V"
part_name: "Enforcement Provisions"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 605, 46 Stat. 754; Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1213, title V, § 505, 68 Stat. 1141; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(cc), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 291; Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 321, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2056; Pub. L. 98–573, title II, § 213(a)(2), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2984.)"
---


# § 1605. Seizure; custody; storage

All vessels, vehicles, aircraft, merchandise, and baggage seized under the provisions of the customs laws, or laws relating to the navigation, registering, enrolling or licensing, or entry or clearance, of vessels, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be placed and remain in the custody of the appropriate customs officer for the district in which the seizure was made to await disposition according to law.

Pending such disposition, the property shall be stored in such place as, in the customs officer’s opinion, is most convenient and appropriate with due regard to the expense involved, whether or not the place of storage is within the judicial district or the customs collection district in which the property was seized; and storage of the property outside the judicial district or customs collection district in which it was seized shall in no way affect the jurisdiction of the court which would otherwise have jurisdiction over such property.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 605, 46 Stat. 754; Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1213, title V, § 505, 68 Stat. 1141; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(cc), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 291; Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 321, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2056; Pub. L. 98–573, title II, § 213(a)(2), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2984.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in , . That section was superseded by section 605 of act , comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Provisions substantially similar to those in this section so far as it relates to merchandise or property seized under the customs laws, were contained in R.S. § 3086, prior to repeal by , .

### Amendments

1984— and  inserted reference to aircraft in first par.

1970— substituted references to appropriate customs officer or customs officer for references to collector wherever appearing.

1954—Act , permitted collector of seized property to store it in such places as he considers convenient or appropriate, whether within or without the judicial district in which it was seized, without affecting the jurisdiction of the court over such property.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by , see , set out as a note under .