Title 31—Money and Finance: Treasury--Volume 1
PART 401—SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE OF VESSELS, VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT USED TO TRANSPORT COUNTERFEIT COINS, OBLIGATIONS, SECURITIES, AND PARAPHERNALIA
§ 401.1   Secret Service agents authorized to make seizures.
All officers of the U.S. Secret Service engaged in the enforcement of counterfeiting laws are hereby authorized and designated to seize such vessels, vehicles, and aircraft as may be subject to seizure because of violations of the said act of August 9, 1939, pertaining to contraband articles referred to in section 1(b) (3) of said act.
§ 401.2   Custody.
Each vessel, vehicle, or aircraft seized pursuant to the said act of August 9, 1939, and the regulations in this part shall forthwith be placed by the seizing officer in the custody of the District Director of Customs for the customs district in which such seizure is made. Such placing in custody shall be effected by immediate notification of the appropriate District Director of Customs of the seizure, together with a statement of the facts including a description of the vessel, vehicle, or aircraft, and the holding by the seizing officer of such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft subject to the instructions of the said district director of customs.
§ 401.3   Authority of District Directors of Customs to hold in custody.
District Directors of Customs are hereby authorized and designated to hold in custody awaiting appropriate disposition vessels, vehicles, and aircraft seized pursuant to the said act of August 9, 1939, and the regulations in this part.
§ 401.4   Duties of Bureau of Customs.
With respect to every vessel, vehicle, and aircraft seized and placed in the custody of a district director of customs pursuant to the said act of August 9, 1939, and the regulations in this part, the appropriate officials of the Bureau of Customs are hereby authorized and designated as the officers who shall perform such administrative duties in connection with—
(a) The summary and judicial forfeiture and condemnation of such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft;
(b) The disposition of such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft or the proceeds from the sale thereof;
(c) The remission or mitigation of the forfeiture of such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft; and
(d) The compromise of claims and the award of compensation to informers in respect to such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft;
§ 401.5   Disposition.
With respect to each vessel, vehicle, and aircraft seized pursuant to the said act of August 9, 1939, and the regulations in this part, the Director of the Secret Service shall promptly notify the Administrator of the General Services Administration and the Commissioner of Customs whether the Secret Service desires to have such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft for its official use. When forfeiture of any vessel, vehicle, or aircraft has been perfected otherwise than by court decree, the district director holding in custody such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft shall:
(a) Either return the same to the Secret Service if the Director of the Secret Service has requested it for the official use of the Secret Service
(b) Or, if the Secret Service does not desire such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft for its official use, hold such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft subject to the instructions of the Administrator of the General Services Administration.