Any officer or employee of the United States who shall, excepting for lawful duties or fees, solicit, demand, exact or receive from any person, directly or indirectly, any money or thing of value, in connection with or pertaining to the importation, appraisement, entry, examination, or inspection of goods, wares, or merchandise, including herein any baggage, or liquidation of the entry thereof, on conviction thereof, shall be fined not exceeding five thousand dollars, or be imprisoned at hard labor not more than two years, or both, in the discretion of the court. And evidence of such soliciting, demanding, exacting, or receiving, satisfactory to the court in which such trial is had, shall be regarded as prima facie evidence that such soliciting, demanding, exacting, or receiving was contrary to law, and shall put upon the accused the burden of proving that such act was innocent and not with an unlawful intention. (June 10, 1890; sec. 27; Oct. 3, 1913; sec. III, BB.)
Whenever the collector of the port of entry of the vessel, or other proper officer of the customs, shall be duly notified in writing of the existence of a lien for freight, charges, or contribution in general average upon imported goods, wares, or merchandise in his custody, he shall, before delivering such goods, wares, or merchandise to the importer, owner, or consignee thereof for consumption, or to any vessel or vehicle for transportation or exportation, give seasonable notice to the party or parties claiming the lien; and the possession by the officers of customs shall not affect the discharge of such lien, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe; and such officer shall refuse the delivery of such merchandise from any public or bonded warehouse or other place in which the same shall be deposited until proof to his satisfaction shall be produced that the freight, charges, or contribution in general average thereon has been paid or secured; but the rights of the United States shall not be prejudiced thereby, nor shall the United States or its officers be in any manner liable for losses consequent upon such refusal to deliver. If merchandise so subject to a lien, regarding which notice has been filed, shall be forfeited to the United States and sold, the freight, charges, or contribution in general average due thereon shall be paid from the proceeds of such sale in the same manner as other charges and expenses authorized by law to be paid therefrom are paid. (R. S., 2981; May 21, 1896.)