PUBLIC LAW 100-690—NOV. 18, 1988
102 STAT. 4499
"Ood SEIZURE PURSUANT TO SUPPLEMENTAL RULES FOR CERTAIN ADMIRALTY AND MARITIME CLAIMS.—Any property subject to forfeit-
ure to the United States under this section may be seized by the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, or the United States Postal Service upon process issued pursuant to the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims by any district court of the United States having jurisdiction over the property, except that seizure without such process may be made when the seizure is pursuant to a search under a search warrant or incident to an arrest. The Government may request the issuance of a warrant authorizing the seizure of property subject to forfeiture under this section in the same manner as provided for a search warrant under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. "(c) CUSTODY OF FEDERAL OFFICIAL.—Property taken or detained under this section shall not be repleviable, but shall be deemed to be in the custody of the Attorney General, Secretary of the Treasury, or the United States Postal Service subject only to the orders and decrees of the court or the official having jurisdiction thereof. Whenever property is seized under any of the provisions of this subchapter, the Attorney General, Secretary of the Treasury, or the United States Postal Service may— "(1) place the property under seal; "(2) remove the property to a place designated by the official or agency; or "(3) require that the General Services Administration take custody of the property and remove it, if practicable, to an appropriate location for disposition in accordance with law. "(d) OTHER LAWS AND PROCEEDINGS APPLICABLE.—All provisions of the customs laws relating to the seizure, summary and judicial forfeiture, and condemnation of property for violation of the customs laws, the disposition of such property or the proceeds from the sale thereof, the remission or mitigation of such forfeitures, and the compromise of claims, shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under this section, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, except that such duties as are imposed upon the customs officer or any other person with respect to the seizure and forfeiture of property under the customs laws shall be performed with respect to seizures and forfeitures of property under this section by such officers, agents, or other persons as may be authorized or designated for that purpose by the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, or the Postal Service, except to the extent that such duties arise from seizures and forfeitures affected by any customs officer. "(e) Sections 1606, 1613, 1614, 1617, and 1618 of title 19, United States Code, shall not apply with respect to any visual depiction or any matter containing a visual depiction subject to forfeiture under subsection (a)(1) of this section. "(f) DISPOSITION OF FORFEITED PROPERTY.—Whenever property is forfeited under this section the Attorney General shall destroy or retain for official use any property described in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) and, with respect to property described in paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a), may— "(1) retain the property for official use or transfer the custody or ownership of any forfeited property to a Federal, State, or local agency pursuant to section 1616 of title 19; "(2) sell any forfeited property which is not required to be destroyed by law and which is not harmful to the public; or
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