(a) In general

Subject to subsections (c) and (d), if the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection suspects that merchandise is being imported into the United States in violation of section 1526 of this title or section 602, 1201(a)(2), or 1201(b)(1) of title 17 and determines that the examination or testing of the merchandise by a person described in subsection (b) would assist the Commissioner in determining if the merchandise is being imported in violation of that section, the Commissioner, to permit the person to conduct the examination and testing—

(1) shall provide to the person information that appears on the merchandise and its packaging and labels, including unredacted images of the merchandise and its packaging and labels; and

(2) may, subject to any applicable bonding requirements, provide to the person unredacted samples of the merchandise.

(b) Person described

Terms Used In 19 USC 1628a

  • merchandise: means goods, wares, and chattels of every description, and includes merchandise the importation of which is prohibited, and monetary instruments as defined in section 5312 of title 31. See 19 USC 1401
  • person: includes partnerships, associations, and corporations. See 19 USC 1401
  • United States: includes all Territories and possessions of the United States except the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, Johnston Island, and the island of Guam. See 19 USC 1401

A person described in this subsection is—

(1) in the case of merchandise suspected of being imported in violation of section 1526 of this title, the owner of the trademark suspected of being copied or simulated by the merchandise;

(2) in the case of merchandise suspected of being imported in violation of section 602 of title 17, the owner of the copyright suspected of being infringed by the merchandise;

(3) in the case of merchandise suspected of being primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under that title, and being imported in violation of section 1201(a)(2) of that title, the owner of a copyright in the work; and

(4) in the case of merchandise suspected of being primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing protection afforded by a technological measure that effectively protects a right of an owner of a copyright in a work or a portion of a work, and being imported in violation of section 1201(b)(1) of that title, the owner of the copyright.

(c) Limitation

Subsection (a) applies only with respect to merchandise suspected of infringing a trademark or copyright that is recorded with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

(d) Exception

The Commissioner may not provide under subsection (a) information, photographs, or samples to a person described in subsection (b) if providing such information, photographs, or samples would compromise an ongoing law enforcement investigation or national security.

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