Customs and Excise Management Act 1979

49 Forfeiture of goods improperly imported. U.K.

(1) Where—

(a) except as provided by or under the Customs and Excise [F1 Acts 1979 or by or under the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018, any imported goods, being goods chargeable by reference to] their importation with customs or excise duty, are, without payment of that duty—

(i) unshipped in any port,

(ii) unloaded from any aircraft in the United Kingdom,

(iii) [F2 unloaded from any other vehicle which has entered the United Kingdom, or]

(iv) removed from their place of importation or from any approved wharf, examination station or [F3 temporary storage facility or any place specified by an officer of Revenue and Customs under Part 1 of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 as a place where the goods are required to be kept]; or

(b) any goods are imported, landed or unloaded contrary to any prohibition or restriction for the time being in force with respect thereto under or by virtue of any enactment; or

(c) any goods, being goods chargeable with any duty or goods the importation of which is for the time being prohibited or restricted by or under any enactment, are found, whether before or after the unloading thereof, to have been concealed in any manner on board any ship or aircraft or, while in Northern Ireland, in [F4 any other vehicle]; or

(d) any goods are imported concealed in a container holding goods of a different description; or

(e) [F5 any goods are found, whether before or after being released to or discharged from a Customs procedure, not to correspond with any information provided under Part 1 of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018;]

(f) any imported goods are concealed or packed in any manner appearing to be intended to deceive an officer,

those goods shall, subject to subsection (2) below, be liable to forfeiture.

(2) Where any goods, the importation of which is for the time being prohibited or restricted by or under any enactment, are on their importation either—

[F6 (a) declared as intended for exportation in the same vehicle,

(b) declared for a transit procedure or a storage procedure, or

(c) are otherwise to be warehoused for exportation or for use as stores,]

the Commissioners may, if they see fit, permit the goods to be dealt with accordingly.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 49(1)(a) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 43(2)(a)(i) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F2 S. 49(1)(a)(iii) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 43(2)(a)(ii) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F3 Words in s. 49(1)(a)(iv) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 43(2)(a)(iii) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F4 Words in s. 49(1)(c) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 43(2)(b) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F5 S. 49(1)(e) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 43(2)(c) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

F6 S. 49(2)(a)-(c) substituted (13.9.2018 for specified purposes, 31.12.2020 in so far as not already in force) by Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018 (c. 22), s. 57(1)(a), Sch. 7 para. 43(3) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2020/1449, reg. 3 and 2020 c. 26, Sch. 2 para. 7(7)-(9)); S.I. 2020/1642, reg. 4(a)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 49 modified by S.I. 1986/260, regs. 5(e), 18

C2 S. 49 modified (10.1.2012) by The Postal Packets (Revenue and Customs) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/3036), regs. 1, 13 (with reg. 25)

C3 S. 49(1) amended by S.I. 1990/2167, art. 4, Sch. para. 7

C4 S. 49(1)(a) modified by S.I. 1983/947, regs. 12, 13 (which S.I. is revoked 1.1.1993 by S.I. 1992/3152, reg. 1(2))

C5 S. 49(1)(a) amended by S.I. 1985/1032, reg. 11(a) (which S.I. is revoked 1.1.1993 by S.I. 1992/3152, reg. 1(2))

S. 49(1)(a) amended (1.11.1996) by S.I. 1992/3152, reg. 11(a) (as amended (1.11.1996) by S.I. 1996/2537, reg. 15(b)).