Penalty and forfeiture for fraudulent claims for export drawback or unlawful relanding
26 U.S.C. § 5608
in effect(a) Fraudulent claim for drawbackEvery person who fraudulently claims, or seeks, or obtains an allowance of drawback on any distilled spirits, or fraudulently claims any greater allowance or drawback than the tax actually paid or determined thereon, shall forfeit and pay to the Government of the United States triple the amount wrongfully and fraudulently sought to be obtained, and shall be imprisoned not more than 5 years; and every owner, agent, or master of any vessel or other person who knowingly aids or abets in the fraudulent collection or fraudulent attempts to collect any drawback upon, or knowingly aids or permits any fraudulent change in the spirits so shipped, shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both, and the ship or vessel on board of which such shipment was made or pretended to be made shall be forfeited to the United States, whether a conviction of the master or owner be had or otherwise, and proceedings may be had in admiralty by libel for such forfeiture.
(b) Unlawful relandingEvery person who, with intent to defraud the United States, relands within the jurisdiction of the United States any distilled spirits which have been shipped for exportation under the provisions of this chapter, or who receives such relanded distilled spirits, and every person who aids or abets in such relanding or receiving of such spirits, shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both; and all distilled spirits so relanded, together with the vessel from which the same were relanded within the jurisdiction of the United States, and all vessels, vehicles, or aircraft used in relanding and removing such distilled spirits, shall be forfeited to the United States.
Source: OLRC USLMURL: https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/95/xml_usc26@119-95.zipFetched: 6/4/2026