US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 19USC482]

 
                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
              CHAPTER 3--THE TARIFF AND RELATED PROVISIONS
 
                   SUBTITLE IV--CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION
 
                        Administrative Provisions
 
                     part 5--enforcement provisions
 
Sec. 482. Search of vehicles and persons

    (a) Any of the officers or persons authorized to board or search 
vessels may stop, search, and examine, as well without as within their 
respective districts, any vehicle, beast, or person, on which or whom he 
or they shall suspect there is merchandise which is subject to duty, or 
shall have been introduced into the United States in any manner contrary 
to law, whether by the person in possession or charge, or by, in, or 
upon such vehicle or beast, or otherwise, and to search any trunk or 
envelope, wherever found, in which he may have a reasonable cause to 
suspect there is merchandise which was imported contrary to law; and if 
any such officer or other person so authorized shall find any 
merchandise on or about any such vehicle, beast, or person, or in any 
such trunk or envelope, which he shall have reasonable cause to believe 
is subject to duty, or to have been unlawfully introduced into the 
United States, whether by the person in possession or charge, or by, in, 
or upon such vehicle, beast, or otherwise, he shall seize and secure the 
same for trial.
    (b) Any officer or employee of the United States conducting a search 
of a person pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall not be held 
liable for any civil damages as a result of such search if the officer 
or employee performed the search in good faith and used reasonable means 
while effectuating such search.

(R.S. Sec. 3061; Pub. L. 107-210, div. A, title III, Sec. 341(a), Aug. 
6, 2002, 116 Stat. 980.)

                          Codification

    R.S. Sec. 3061 derived from act July 18, 1866, ch. 201, Sec. 3, 14 
Stat. 178.


                               Amendments

    2002--Pub. L. 107-210 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) 
and added subsec. (b).


  Requirement To Post Policy and Procedures for Searches of Passengers

    Pub. L. 107-210, div. A, title III, Sec. 341(b), Aug. 6, 2002, 116 
Stat. 980, provided that: ``Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act [Aug. 6, 2002], the Commissioner of Customs shall 
ensure that at each Customs border facility appropriate notice is posted 
that provides a summary of the policy and procedures of the Customs 
Service for searching passengers, including a statement of the policy 
relating to the prohibition on the conduct of profiling of passengers 
based on gender, race, color, religion, or ethnic background.''
    [For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of 
the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, 
including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, 
to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related 
references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, 
Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security 
Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note 
under section 542 of Title 6.]