U.S. Customs Service Forfeitures

X. U.S. Customs Service Forfeitures

1. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 524 (c), all proceeds from the forfeiture of property under any law enforced or administered by the Department are to be deposited in the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund, except as specified in 28 U.S.C. § 524(c)(4) and except to the extent that the seizure was effected by a U.S. Customs Service officer or to the extent that custody was maintained by the Customs Service, in which case the provisions of 19 U.S.C. § 1613b (Customs Forfeiture Fund) shall apply.
2. To the extent that the U.S. Marshals Service may have the authority and the capacity and pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Treasury and the Department of Justice, the U.S. Marshals Service may store and maintain seized property for the U.S. Customs Service. The reimbursement for expenses incurred by either the U.S. Marshals Service or the U.S. Customs Service attendant to custody of seized property shall be in accordance with this agreement.
3. Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. § 1616a, requests for transfers of forfeited property by federal agencies or by participating foreign, state and local agencies in forfeitures where the seizure was effected by a U.S. Customs Service officer or custody was maintained by the Customs Service shall be directed to the Customs Service for processing and disposition pursuant to guidelines of the Department of Treasury. An information copy shall be sent to the United States Attorney in the district of seizure.
4. In the event of an unresolved dispute concerning whether a forfeiture constitutes a U.S. Customs Service or Department of Justice forfeiture for purposes of cash or proceeds disposition or for federal, state and local transfers, the Deputy Attorney General or his designee and the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement, Department of the Treasury, shall resolve the issue.

July 31, 1990		/s/
Date		DICK THORNBURGH ATTORNEY GENERAL

Last reviewed October 2024