19 USC 1619 – Award of compensation to informers
(a) In general
If—
(1) any person who is not an employee or officer of the United States—
(A) detects and seizes any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage subject to seizure and forfeiture under the customs laws or the navigation laws and reports such detection and seizure to a customs officer, or
(B) furnishes to a United States attorney, the Secretary of the Treasury, or any customs officer original information concerning—
(i) any fraud upon the customs revenue, or
(ii) any violation of the customs laws or the navigation laws which is being, or has been, perpetrated or contemplated by any other person; and
(2) such detection and seizure or such information leads to a recovery of—
(A) any duties withheld, or
(B) any fine, penalty, or forfeiture of property incurred;
the Secretary may award and pay such person an amount that does not exceed 25 percent of the net amount so recovered.
(b) Forfeited property not sold
Terms Used In 19 USC 1619
- Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- merchandise: means goods, wares, and chattels of every description, and includes merchandise the importation of which is prohibited, and monetary instruments as defined in section 5312 of title 31. See 19 USC 1401
- officer: includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office. See 1 USC 1
- person: includes partnerships, associations, and corporations. See 19 USC 1401
- Secretary: means the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate. See 19 USC 1401
- United States: includes all Territories and possessions of the United States except the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, Johnston Island, and the island of Guam. See 19 USC 1401
- vehicle: includes every description of carriage or other contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on land, but does not include aircraft. See 19 USC 1401
- vessel: includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water. See 1 USC 3
If—
(1) any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, merchandise, or baggage is forfeited to the United States and is thereafter, in lieu of sale—
(A) destroyed under the customs or navigation laws, or
(B) delivered to any governmental agency for official use, and
(2) any person would be eligible to receive an award under subsection (a) but for the lack of sale of such forfeited property,
the Secretary may award and pay such person an amount that does not exceed 25 percent of the appraised value of such forfeited property.
(c) Dollar limitation
The amount awarded and paid to any person under this section may not exceed $250,000 for any case.
(d) Source of payment
Unless otherwise provided by law, any amount paid under this section shall be paid out of appropriations available for the collection of the customs revenue.
(e) Recovery of bail bond
For purposes of this section, an amount recovered under a bail bond shall be deemed a recovery of a fine incurred.