[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 19USC1703]
TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
CHAPTER 5--SMUGGLING
Sec. 1703. Seizure and forfeiture of vessels
(a) Vessels subject to seizure and forfeiture
Whenever any vessel which shall have been built, purchased, fitted
out in whole or in part, or held, in the United States or elsewhere, for
the purpose of being employed to defraud the revenue or to smuggle any
merchandise into the United States, or to smuggle any merchandise into
the territory of any foreign government in violation of the laws there
in force, if under the laws of such foreign government any penalty or
forfeiture is provided for violation of the laws of the United States
respecting the customs revenue, or whenever any vessel which shall be
found, or discovered to have been employed, or attempted to be employed,
within the United States for any such purpose, or in anywise in
assistance thereof, or whenever any vessel of the United States which
shall be found, or discovered to have been, employed, or attempted to be
employed at any place, for any such purpose, or is anywise in assistance
thereof, if not subsequently forfeited to the United States or to a
foreign government, is found at any place at which any such vessel may
be examined by an officer of the customs in the enforcement of any law
respecting the revenue, the said vessel and its cargo shall be seized
and forfeited.
(b) ``Vessels of the United States'' defined
Every vessel which is documented, owned, or controlled in the United
States, and every vessel of foreign registry which is, directly or
indirectly, substantially owned or controlled by any citizen of, or
corporation incorporated, owned, or controlled in, the United States,
shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed a vessel of the
United States.
(c) Acts constituting prima facie evidence vessel engaged in smuggling
For the purposes of this section, the fact that a vessel has become
subject to pursuit as provided in section 1581 of this title, or is a
hovering vessel, or that a vessel fails, at any place within the customs
waters of the United States or within a customs-enforcement area, to
display lights as required by law, shall be prima facie evidence that
