is liable to perish or to waste or to be greatly reduced in value by keeping, or that the expense of keeping the same is disproportionate to the value thereof, and the value of such vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage as determined under section 1606 of this title, does not exceed $2,500, and such vessels, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage has not been delivered under bond, such officer shall, proceed forthwith to advertise and sell the same at auction under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. If such value of such vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage exceeds $2,500, such officer shall forthwith transmit the appraiser's return and his report of the seizure to the United States attorney, who shall petition the court to order an immediate sale of such vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage, and if the ends of justice require it the court shall order such immediate sale, the proceeds thereof to be deposited with the court to await the final determination of the condemnation proceedings. Whether such sale be made by the customs officer or by order of the court, the proceeds thereof shall be held subject to claims of parties in interest to the same extent as the vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage so sold would have been subject to such claim. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 612, 46 Stat. 756; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 1, 62 Stat. 869; Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1213, title V, § 506, 68 Stat. 1141; June 2, 1970, Pub. L. 91-271, title III, § 301(ff), 84 Stat. 291.) REFERENCES IN TEXT The customs laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to this title. PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those of this section were contained in Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 612, 42 Stat. 986. That section was superseded by section 612 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. Provisions concerning the sale of property liable to perish or waste, etc., were contained in R.S. § 3080, which was repealed by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in section 1607 of this title. § 1613. Disposition of proceeds of forfeited property Any person claiming any vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage, or any interest therein, which has been forfeited and sold under the provisions of this chapter, may at any time within three months after the date of sale apply to the Secretary of the Treasury if the forfeiture and sale was under the customs laws, or if the forfeiture and sale was under the navigation laws, for a remission of the forfeiture and restoration of the proceeds of such sale, or such part thereof as may be claimed by him. Upon the production of satisfactory proof that the applicant did not know of the seizure prior to the declaration or condemnation of forfeiture, and was in such circumstances as prevented him from knowing of the same, and that such forfeiture was incurred without any willful negligence or intention to defraud on the part of the applicant, the Secretary of the Treasury may order the proceeds of the sale, or any part thereof, restored to the applicant, after deducting the cost of seizure and of sale, the duties, if any, accruing on the merchandise or baggage, and any sum due on a lien for freight, charges, or contribution in general average that may have been filed. If no application for such remission or restoration is made within three months after such sale, or if the application be denied by the Secretary of the Treasury, the proceeds of sale shall be disposed of as follows: (1) For the payment of all proper expenses of the proceedings of forfeiture and sale, including expenses of seizure, maintaining the custody of the property, advertising and sale, and if condemned by a decree of a district court and a bond for such costs was not given, the costs as taxed by the court; (2) For the satisfaction of liens for freight, charges, and contributions in general average, notice of which has been filed with the appropriate customs officer according to law; and (3) The residue shall be deposited with the Treasurer of the United States as a customs or navigation fine. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 613, 46 Stat. 756; June 25, 1938, ch. 679, § 29, 52 Stat. 1089; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§ 101-104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097; June 2, 1970, Pub. L. 91-271, title III, § 301(b), 84 Stat. 287.) REFERENCES IN TEXT The customs laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to this title. The navigation laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters. PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those of this section were contained in Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 613, 42 Stat. 986. That section was superseded by section 613 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. Provisions authorizing applications to the Secretary of the Treasury for remission of forfeitures and restoration of the proceeds of sales, and provisions substantially the same as those in this section concerning the granting of such applications, were contained in R.S. § 3078. R.S. § 3079, provided that if no application was made within three months the proceeds should be distributed in the same manner as if the property had been condemned and sold under a decree of court. R.S. § 3090, as amended by Act Feb. 27, 1877, ch. 69, § 1, 19 Stat. 248, also specified how the proceeds of fines, penalties, and forfeitures incurred under customs laws, should be applied and distributed. All these sections were repealed by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989. AMENDMENTS 1970-Pub. L. 91-271 substituted reference to the appropriate customs officer for reference to the collector. 1938-Act June 25, 1938, inserted "and" at end of subd. (2), deleted former subd. (3), and redesignated former subd. (4) as subd. (3). EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91-271, see section 203 of Pub. L. 91-271, set out as an Effective Date of 1970 Amendment note under section 1500 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1938 AMENDMENT Amendment by act June 25, 1938, effective on the thirtieth day following June 25, 1938, except as otherwise specifically provided, see note under section 1401 of this title. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS By Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, all functions of the Secretary of Commerce relating to the remission and mitigation of fines, penalties and forfeitures incurred for violation of the navigation laws were transferred to the Commandant of the Coast Guard and Commissioner of Customs, subject to the direction and control of the Secretary of the Treasury, except as otherwise required by law with respect to the United States Coast Guard whenever it operates as a part of the Navy. Accordingly, reference to the Secretary of Commerce was changed to the Secretary of the Treasury. The Coast Guard was transferred to the Department of Transportation and all functions, powers, and duties, relating to the Coast Guard, of the Secretary of the Treasury and of other offices and officers of the Department of the Treasury were transferred to the Secretary of Transportation by Pub. L. 89-670, Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 931, which created the Department of Transportation. See section 1655 of Title 49, Transportation. CROSS REFERENCES Annual appropriation from the general fund of the Treasury, see section 725a of Title 31, Money and Fi nance. SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS This section is referred to in section 1614 of this title. § 1614. Release of seized property If any person claiming an interest in any vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage seized under the provisions of this chapter offers to pay the value of such vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage, as determined under section 1606 of this title, and it appears that such person has in fact a substantial interest therein, the appropriate customs officer may, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury if under the customs laws or, under the navigation laws, accept such offer and release the vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage seized upon the payment of such value thereof, which shall be distributed in the order provided in section 1613 of this title. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 614, 46 Stat. 757; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§ 101-104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097; June 2, 1970, Pub. L. 91-271, title III, § 301(b), 84 Stat. 287.) REFERENCES IN TEXT The customs laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to this title. The Navigation laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters. PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those of this section were contained in Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 614, 42 Stat. 987. That section was superseded by section 614 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. A prior provision authorizing collectors, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, to release scized merchandise on payment of the appraised value when the appraised value did not exceed $1,000, were contained in R.S. § 3081, which was repealed by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989. AMENDMENTS 1970-Pub. L. 91-271 substituted reference to the appropriate customs officer for reference to the collector. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91-271, see section 203 of Pub. L. 91-271, set out as an Effective Date of 1970 Amendment note under section 1500 of this title. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Omission of "the Secretary of Commerce" from text under the authority of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, see Transfer of Functions note set out under section 1613 of this title. § 1615. Burden of proof in forfeiture proceedings In all suits or actions brought for the forfei ture of any vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage seized under the provisions of any law relating to the collection of duties on imports or tonnage, where the property is claimed by any person, the burden of proof shall lie upon such claimant; and in all suits or actions brought for the recovery of the value of any vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage, because of violation of any such law, the burden of proof shall be upon the defendant: Provided, That probable cause shall be first shown for the institution of such suit or action, to be judged of by the court, subject to the following rules of proof: (1) The testimony or deposition of the officer of the customs who has boarded or required to come to a stop or seized a vessel or vehicle, or has arrested a person, shall be prima facie evidence of the place where the act in question occurred. (2) Marks, labels, brands, or stamps, indicative of foreign origin, upon or accompanying mechandise or containers of merchandise, shall be prima facie evidence of the foreign origin of such merchandise. (3) The fact that a vessel of any description is found, or discovered to have been, in the vi 'So in original. cinity of any hovering vessel and under any circumstances indicating contact or communication therewith, whether by proceeding to or from such vessel, or by coming to in the vicinity of such vessel, or by delivering to or receiving from such vessel any merchandise, person, or communication, or by any other means effecting contact or communication therewith, shall be prima facie evidence that the vessel in question has visited such hovering vessel. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 615, 46 Stat. 757; Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, title II, § 207, 49 Stat. 525.) PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions somewhat similar to those of this section were contained in Act Oct. 3, 1913, ch. 16, § III, T, 38 Stat. 189, the provisions of which were originally enacted in the Customs Administrative Act of June 10, 1890, ch. 407, § 21, 26 Stat. 140, and re-enacted by the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act of Aug. 5, 1909, ch. 6, § 28, 36 Stat. 101, and amended by the Act of 1913. Section III of the Act of 1913 was superseded by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 615, 42 Stat. 987, and was repealed by section 643 thereof. Section 615 of the 1922 Act was superseded by section 615 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. AMENDMENTS 1935-Act Aug. 5, 1935, inserted a comma in place of a period at the end thereof and added "subject to the following rules of proof" and added subds. (1) to (3). § 1616. Repealed. June 25, 1948, ch. 645, § 21, 62 Stat. 862, eff. Sept. 1, 1948 Section, act June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 616, 46 Stat. 757, related to prohibition against compromising Government claims, and is now covered by section 1915 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure. § 1617. Compromise of Government claims by Secretary of Treasury Upon a report by a customs officer, United States attorney, or any special attorney, having charge of any claim arising under the customs laws, showing the facts upon which such claim is based, the probabilities of a recovery and the terms upon which the same may be compromised, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to compromise such claim, if such action shall be recommended by the General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 617, 46 Stat. 757; May 10, 1934, ch. 277, § 512(b), 48 Stat. 759; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 1, 62 Stat. 869; June 2, 1970, Pub. L. 91-271, title III, § 301(gg), 84 Stat. 291.) REFERENCES IN TEXT The customs laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to this title. PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those of this section were contained in Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 617, 42 Stat. 987. That section was superseded by section 617 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. AMENDMENTS 1970-Pub. L. 91-271 substituted reference to customs officer for reference to the collector and struck out reference to customs agents. 1934-Act May 10, 1934, substituted "General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury" for "Solicitor of the Treasury". CHANGE OF NAME Act June 25, 1948, eff. Sept. 1, 1948, substituted "United States attorney" for "district attorney". See section 541 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, and Historical and Revision Note thereunder. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91-271, see section 203 of Pub. L. 91-271, set out as an Effective Date of 1970 Amendment note under section 1500 of this title. § 1618. Remission or mitigation of penalties Whenever any person interested in any vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage seized under the provisions of this chapter, or who has incurred, or is alleged to have incurred, any fine or penalty thereunder, files with the Secretary of the Treasury under the customs laws or under the navigation laws, before the sale of such vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage a petition for the remission or mitigation of such fine, penalty, or forfeiture, the Secretary of the Treasury, if he finds that such fine, penalty, or forfeiture was incurred without willful negligence or without any intention on the part of the petitioner to defraud the revenue or to violate the law, or finds the existence of such mitigating circumstances as to justify the remission or mitigation of such fine, penalty, or forfeiture, may remit or mitigate the same upon such terms and conditions as he deems reasonable and just, or order discontinuance of any prosecution relating thereto. In order to enable him to ascertain the facts, the Secretary of the Treasury may issue a commission to any customs officer to take testimony upon such petition: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed to deprive any person of an award of compensation made before the filing of such petition. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 618, 46 Stat. 757; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§ 101-104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097; June 2, 1970, Pub. L. 91-271, title III, § 301(hh), 84 Stat. 291.) REFERENCES IN TEXT The customs laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to this title. The navigation laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters. PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those of this section were contained in Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 618, 42 Stat. 987. That section was superseded by section 618 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. Provisions for a petition to the judge of the district, a summary investigation before the judge or a United States Commissioner, and transmission of the facts appearing thereon, with a certified copy of the evidence, to the Secretary of the Treasury, and provisions authorizing the Secretary to remit fines and penalties, etc., were contained in Act June 22, 1874, ch. 391, §§ 17, 18, 20, 18 Stat. 189, 190, which were repealed by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 643, 42 Stat. 989. AMENDMENTS 1970-Pub. L. 91-271 substituted "customs officer" for "customs agent, collector, judge of the United States Customs Court, or United States commissioner". EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91-271, see section 203 of Pub. L. 91-271, set out as an Effective Date of 1970 Amendment note under section 1500 of this title. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Omission of "the Secretary of Commerce" from text under the authority of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, see Transfer of Functions note set out under section 1613 of this title. § 1619. Award of compensation to informers Any person not an officer of the United States who detects and seizes any vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage subject to seizure and forfeiture under the customs laws or the navigation laws, and who reports the same to an officer of the customs, or who furnishes to a United States attorney, to the Secretary of the Treasury, or to any customs officer original information concerning any fraud upon the customs revenue, or a violation of the customs laws or the navigation laws, perpetrated or contemplated, which detection and seizure or information leads to a recovery of any duties withheld, or of any fine, penalty, or forfeiture incurred, may be awarded and paid by the Secretary of the Treasury a compensation of 25 per centum of the net amount recovered, but not to exceed $50,000 in any case, which shall be paid out of any appropriations available for the collection of the revenue from customs. For the purposes of this section an amount recovered under a bail bond shall be deemed a recovery of a fine incurred. If any vessel, vehicle, merchandise, or baggage is forfeited to the United States, and is thereafter, in lieu of sale, destroyed under the customs or navigation laws or delivered to any governmental agency for official use, compensation of 25 per centum of the appraised value thereof may be awarded and paid by the Secretary of the Treasury under the provisions of this section, but not to exceed $50,000 in any case. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 619, 46 Stat. 758; Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, title III, § 305, 49 Stat. 527; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 1, 62 Stat. 869.) REFERENCES IN TEXT The customs laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to this title. The navigation laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters. PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those of this section were contained in Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 619, 42 Stat. 988. That section was superseded by section 619 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. Provisions somewhat similar to those in this section, but applicable in part to any officer of the customs or other person, were contained in Act June 22, 1874, ch. 391, § 4, 18 Stat. 186. Section 3 of that Act required the Secretary of the Treasury to make suitable compensation in certain cases, as thereinafter provided, made an appropriation and required payments to be reported to Congress. Section 6 required claims to compensation to be established to the satisfaction of the court or judge, and required satisfactory proof when the fine, etc., was collected without judicial proceedings. All of these sections were repealed by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 643, 42 Stat. 989. Section 2 of the Act of June 22, 1874, ch. 391, repealed all provisions under which moieties of fines, etc., were paid to informers, etc., and required the proceeds of all fines, penalties, and forfeitures to be paid into the Treasury. This last provision was omitted from the Code as superseded by section 527 of this title. Act Mar. 4, 1907, ch. 2918, § 1, 34 Stat. 1315. Section 26 of that Act repealed inconsistent laws and saved existing rights. It was omitted from the Code as temporary and executed. R.S. § 2948, providing that additional duties were not to be deemed fines, etc., for distribution to customs of. ficers, became inoperative by the repeal of all provisions for payment of moieties of fines, etc., to informers or officers, by the Act of June 2, 1874, ch. 391, § 2 and was repealed by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 642, 42 Stat. 989. An appropriation for compensation in lieu of moieties was made by Act Mar. 2, 1926, ch. 43, § 1, 44 Stat. 141. Similar appropriations were contained in prior acts. AMENDMENTS 1935-Act Aug. 5, 1935, inserted "or the navigation laws" following "customs laws", and provisions authorizing award of compensation of 25 per centum of the appraised value, but not to exceed $50,000 in any case. CHANGE OF NAME Act June 25, 1948, eff. Sept. 1, 1948, substituted "United States attorney" for "district attorney". See section 541 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, and Historical and Revision Note thereunder. § 1620. Acceptance of money by United States officers Any officer of the United States who directly or indirectly receives, accepts, or contracts for any portion of the money which may accrue to any person making such detection and seizure, or furnishing such information, shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than two years, or both, and shall be thereafter ineligible to any office of honor, trust, or emolument. Any such person who pays to any such officer, or to any person for the use of such officer, any portion of such money, or anything of value for or because of such money, shall have a right of action against such officer, or his legal representatives, or against such person, or his legal representatives, and shall be entitled to recover the money so paid or the thing of value so given. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 620, 46 Stat. 758.) PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those of this section were contained in Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 620, 42 Stat. 988. That section was superseded by section 620 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. Provisions somewhat similar to those in this section but excepting cases of smuggling were contained in Act June 22, 1874, ch. 391, § 7, 18 Stat. 187, which was repealed by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV. § 643, 42 Stat. 989. CROSS REFERENCES Extortion by officers or employees of the United States, see section 872 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure. Felony and misdemeanor defined, see section 1 of Title 18. Penalty for customs officers receiving any other or greater fee, compensation, or reward than is allowed by law, see section 60 of this title. § 1621. Limitation of actions No suit or action to recover any pecuniary penalty or forfeiture of property accruing under the customs laws shall be instituted unless such suit or action is commenced within five years after the time when the alleged offense was discovered: Provided, That the time of the absence from the United States of the person subject to such penalty or forfeiture, or of any concealment or absence of the property, shall not be reckoned within this period of limitation. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 621, 46 Stat. 758; Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, title III, § 306, 49 Stat. 527.) REFERENCES IN TEXT The customs laws, referred to in text, are classified generally to this title. PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those of this section were contained in Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 621, 42 Stat. 988. That section was superseded by section 621 of the Tariff Act of 1930, comprising this section, and was repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 Act. Provisions substantially similar to those of this section, except that the period of limitation was three years, were contained in Act June 22, 1874, ch. 391, § 22, 18 Stat. 190, which was repealed by Act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 643, 42 Stat. 989. AMENDMENTS 1935-Act Aug. 5, 1935, substituted "the alleged offense was discovered” for “such penalty or forfeiture accrued". § 1622. Foreign landing certificates The Secretary of the Treasury may by regulations require the production of landing certificates in respect of merchandise exported from the United States, or in respect of residue cargo, in cases in which he deems it necessary for the protection of the revenue. (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 622, 46 Stat. 759.) § 1623. Bonds and other security (a) Requirement of bond by regulation In any case in which bond or other security is not specifically required by law, the Secretary of the Treasury may by regulation or specific instruction require, or authorize customs officers to require, such bonds or other security as he, or they, may deem necessary for the protection of the revenue or to assure compliance with any provision of law, regulation, or instruction which the Secretary of the Treasury or the Customs Service may be authorized to enforce. (b) Conditions and form of bond Whenever a bond is required or authorized by a law, regulation, or instruction which the Secretary of the Treasury or the Customs Service is authorized to enforce, the Secretary of the Treasury may (1) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, prescribe the conditions and form of such bond, and fix the amount of penalty thereof, whether for the payment of liquidated damages or of a penal sum: Provided, That when a consolidated bond authorized by paragraph 4 of this subsection is taken, the Secretary of the Treasury may fix the penalty of such bond without regard to any other provision of law, regulation, or instruction. (2) Provide for the approval of the sureties on such bond, without regard to any general provision of law. (3) Authorize the execution of a term bond the conditions of which shall extend to and cover similar cases of importations over such period of time, not to exceed one year, or such longer period as he may fix when in his opinion special circumstances existing in a particular instance require such longer period. (4) Authorize, to the extent that he may deem necessary, the taking of a consolidated bond (single entry or term), in lieu of separate bonds to assure compliance with two or more provisions of law, regulations, or instructions which the Secretary of the Treasury or the Customs Service is authorized to enforce. A consolidated bond taken pursuant to the authority contained in this subsection shall have the same force and effect in respect of every provision of law, regulation, or instruction for the purposes for which it is required as though separate bonds had been taken to assure compliance with each such provision. (c) Cancellation of bond The Secretary of the Treasury may authorize the cancellation of any bond provided for in this section, or of any charge that may have been made against such bond, in the event of a breach of any condition of the bond, upon the payment of such lesser amount or penalty or upon such other terms and conditions as he may deem sufficient. (d) Validity of bond No condition in any bond taken to assure compliance with any law, regulation, or instruction which the Secretary of the Treasury or the Customs Service is authorized to enforce shall be held invalid on the ground that such condition is not specified in the law, regulation, or instruction authorizing or requiring the taking of such bond. (e) Deposit of money or obligation of United States in lieu of bond The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to permit the deposit of money or obligations of the United States, in such amount and upon such conditions as he may by regulation prescribe, in lieu of sureties on any bond required or authorized by a law, regulation, or instruction which the Secretary of the Treasury or the Customs Service is authorized to enforce. |