21 USC § 153 - Inspection of imports; denial of entry and destruction

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t21/s153"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "21 USC § 153 - Inspection of imports; denial of entry and destruction"
title_number: 21
title_name: "FOOD AND DRUGS"
section_number: "153"
section_name: "Inspection of imports; denial of entry and destruction"
chapter_number: 5
chapter_name: "VIRUSES, SERUMS, TOXINS, ANTITOXINS, AND ANALOGOUS PRODUCTS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Mar. 4, 1913, ch. 145, § 1 (part), 37 Stat. 832.)"
---


# § 153. Inspection of imports; denial of entry and destruction

The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to cause the Bureau of Animal Industry to examine and inspect all viruses, serums, toxins, and analogous products, for use in the treatment of domestic animals, which are being imported or offered for importation into the United States, to determine whether such viruses, serums, toxins, and analogous products are worthless, contaminated, dangerous, or harmful, and if it shall appear that any such virus, serum, toxin, or analogous product, for use in the treatment of domestic animals, is worthless, contaminated, dangerous, or harmful, the same shall be denied entry and shall be destroyed or returned at the expense of the owner or importer.

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**Source Credit**: (Mar. 4, 1913, ch. 145, § 1 (part), 37 Stat. 832.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

See note set out under .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities under this chapter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 231, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .