Code of Federal Regulations Title 19. Customs Duties § 19.148.19 False or fraudulent statement

A passenger who makes any false or fraudulent statement or engages in other conduct within the purview of section 592, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1592), whereby a Customs officer is or may be induced to pass an article free of duty or at less than the proper amount of duty, or to treat an article in some other manner in order to obtain a benefit, shall be deemed to have violated 19 U.S.C. 1592. In any such case the article involved shall be seized only if one or more of the conditions set forth in section 162.75 of this chapter are present, if it is available for seizure at the time the violation is detected, and if such seizure is otherwise practicable, unless the article is in the possession of an innocent holder for value who has full right to possession as against any party to the Customs violation. If seizure is not made, an amount equivalent to the maximum penalty which may be assessed in accordance with the passenger's degree of culpability as provided in 19 U.S.C. 1592(c) shall be demanded from the passenger. The amount demanded in lieu of seizure shall be determined in accordance with the guidelines contained in the appendix to part 171 of this chapter. In all cases, the estimated duties shall be demanded of the passenger as soon as possible after the discovery of the violation. Any applicable internal revenue tax shall also be demanded unless the merchandise is to be, or has been, forfeited.