[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 19, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 19CFR162.3]

[Page 243]
 
                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
  CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES CUSTOMS SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
 
PART 162--INSPECTION, SEARCH, AND SEIZURE--Table of Contents
 
             Subpart A--Inspection, Examination, and Search
 
Sec. 162.3  Boarding and search of vessels.

    (a) General authority. A Customs officer, for the purpose of 
examining the manifest and other documents and papers and examining, 
inspecting and searching the vessel, may at any time go on board:
    (1) Any vessel at any place in the United States or within the 
Customs waters of the United States;
    (2) Any American vessel on the high seas;
    (3) Any vessel within a Customs-enforcement area designated such 
under the provisions of the Anti-Smuggling Act (Act of August 5, 1935, 
as amended, 49 Stat. 517; 19 U.S.C. 1701, 1703 through 1711), but 
Customs officers shall not board a foreign vessel upon the high seas in 
contravention of any treaty with a foreign government, or in the absence 
of a special arrangement with the foreign government concerned.
    (b) Search of army or navy vessel. If the port director or special 
agent in charge believes that sufficient grounds exist to justify a 
search of any army or navy vessel, the facts shall be reported to the 
commanding officer or master of the vessel with a request that he cause 
a full search to be made, and advise the port director or special agent 
in charge of the result of such search. If, after the cargo has been 
discharged, passengers and their baggage landed, and the baggage of 
officers and crewmembers examined and passed, the port director or 
special agent in charge believes that sufficient grounds exist to 
justify the continuance of Customs supervision of the vessel, the 
commanding officer or master of the vessel shall be advised accordingly.
    (c) Assistance of other agencies. Customs officers are authorized to 
assist any other agency in the enforcement of United States laws on any 
vessel.

[T.D. 84-18, 48 FR 52899, Nov. 23, 1983]