Title 19

SECTION 19.9

19.9 General order, abandoned, and seized merchandise.

§ 19.9 General order, abandoned, and seized merchandise.

(a) Acceptance of merchandise. The arriving carrier (or other party to whom custody of the merchandise was transferred by the carrier under a Customs-authorized permit to transfer or in-bond entry) is responsible for preparing a Customs Form (CF) 6043 (Delivery Ticket), or other similar Customs document as designated by the port director or an electronic equivalent as authorized by Customs, to cover the proprietor's receipt of the merchandise and its transport to the warehouse from the custody of the arriving carrier (or other party to whom custody of the merchandise was transferred by the carrier under a Customs-authorized permit to transfer or in-bond entry). A joint determination will be made by the warehouse proprietor and the bonded carrier of the quantity and condition of the goods or articles so delivered to the warehouse. Within two working days of the joint determination, the warehouse proprietor will report to the port director any discrepancy between the quantity and condition of the goods and that reported on CF 6043, or other similar Customs document as designated by the port director or an electronic equivalent as authorized by Customs.

(b) Recording and storing. General order, abandoned, and seized goods and articles shall be recorded and stored in the warehouse as prescribed by § 19.12.

(c) Release of merchandise. Merchandise in general order may be released by the warehouse proprietor, after Customs inspection or examination as ordered by the port director, to the person named in a release order under § 141.11 of this chapter. The release may only be made by the proprietor upon presentation of a permit to release or delivery authorization signed by the appropriate Customs officer on Customs Form 3461, or its electronic equivalent, 7501, or its electronic equivalent, 368 or 368A or other Customs form as designated by the port director. General order goods which have been unclaimed under § 127.11 of this chapter, voluntarily abandoned, or seized and forfeited may be released for transfer to the place of sale upon presentation to the warehouse proprietor of an approved copy of Customs Form 5251 (Order to Transfer Merchandise for Public Auction (Sale)), and an approved copy of Customs Form 6043 (Delivery Ticket). The quantity and condition of the goods so transferred shall be determined jointly by the proprietor and the cartman or lighterman picking up the goods for delivery to the place of sale. Any discrepancies shall be noted on the delivery ticket, a copy of which shall be sent to the port director within two business days of agreement. Seized goods that are released for a purpose other than sale may be released from warehouse only upon such written terms and conditions as directed by the port director.

[T.D. 82-204, 47 FR 49371, Nov. 1, 1982, as amended by T.D. 92-56, 57 FR 24944, June 12, 1992; T.D. 02-65, 67 FR 68032, Nov. 8, 2002; CBP Dec. 15-14, 80 FR 61286, Oct. 13, 2015]