US Code

Public Law 119-83 (04/13/2026)

18 U.S.C. § 1762

Marking packages

(a)
All packages containing any goods, wares, or merchandise manufactured, produced, or mined wholly or in part by convicts or prisoners, except convicts or prisoners on parole or probation, or in any penal or reformatory institution, when shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce shall be plainly and clearly marked, so that the name and address of the shipper, the name and address of the consignee, the nature of the contents, and the name and location of the penal or reformatory institution where produced wholly or in part may be readily ascertained on an inspection of the outside of such package.
(b)
section 1761 of this title Whoever violates this section shall be fined under this title, and any goods, wares, or merchandise transported in violation of this section or shall be forfeited to the United States, and may be seized and condemned by like proceedings as those provided by law for the seizure and forfeiture of property imported into the United States contrary to law.

June 25, 1948, ch. 645 62 Stat. 786 Pub. L. 102–393, title V, § 535(b)106 Stat. 1764 Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H)108 Stat. 2147 Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(7)110 Stat. 3498 (, ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

July 24, 1935, ch. 412 49 Stat. 494 Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 396c, 396d, 396e (, §§ 2, 3, 4, , 495).

Section consolidates sections 396c, 396d, and 396e of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed.

Words “upon conviction thereof” were deleted as unnecessary, since punishment cannot be imposed until after conviction.

Words “transported in violation of this section or section 1761” were added after the word “merchandise” to continue existing law.

section 396e of title 18section 3237 of this titleThe provisions of said , U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to venue, were omitted as covered by .

Minor changes were made in translations and phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 104–2941996—Subsec. (b). substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $50,000”.

Pub. L. 103–322Pub. L. 102–3931994—, which directed the amendment of this section by substituting “under this title” for “not more than $1,000”, could not be executed because the phrase “not more than $1,000” did not appear in text subsequent to amendment of subsec. (b) by . See 1992 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 102–3931992—Subsec. (b). substituted “$50,000” for “$1,000”.