-CITE-

39 USC CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS

-HEAD-

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS

-MISC1-

Sec.

601. Letters carried out of the mail.

602. Foreign letters out of the mails.

603. Searches authorized.

604. Seizing and detaining letters.

605. Searching vessels for letters.

606. Disposition of seized mail.

-End-

-CITE-

39 USC Sec. 601 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS

-HEAD-

Sec. 601. Letters carried out of the mail

-STATUTE-

(a) A letter may be carried out of the mails when -

(1) it is enclosed in an envelope;

(2) the amount of postage which would have been charged on the

letter if it had been sent by mail is paid by stamps, or postage

meter stamps, on the envelope;

(3) the envelope is properly addressed;

(4) the envelope is so sealed that the letter cannot be taken

from it without defacing the envelope;

(5) any stamps on the envelope are canceled in ink by the

sender; and

(6) the date of the letter, of its transmission or receipt by

the carrier is endorsed on the envelope in ink.

(b) The Postal Service may suspend the operation of any part of

this section upon any mail route where the public interest requires

the suspension.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 727.)

-MISC1-

EFFECTIVE DATE

Chapter effective July 1, 1971, pursuant to Resolution No. 71-9

of the Board of Governors. See section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set

out as a note preceding section 101 of this title.

STUDY OF PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF MAIL: REPORTS TO PRESIDENT AND

CONGRESS

Section 7 of Pub. L. 91-375 required the Board of Governors of

the United States Postal Service to make a study of the

restrictions on the private carriage of letters and packets and to

submit a report and recommendations for modernization to the

President and to the Congress within 2 years after the effective

date of this section.

Provisions of section 7 of Pub. L. 91-375 effective within 1 year

after Aug. 12, 1970, on date established therefor by the Board of

Governors and published by it in the Federal Register, see section

15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set out as an Effective Date note

preceding section 101 of this title.

-SECREF-

SECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS

This section is referred to in section 602 of this title; title

18 section 1696.

-End-

-CITE-

39 USC Sec. 602 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS

-HEAD-

Sec. 602. Foreign letters out of the mails

-STATUTE-

(a) Except as provided in section 601 of this title, the master

of a vessel departing from the United States for foreign ports may

not receive on board or transport any letter which originated in

the United States that -

(1) has not been regularly received from a United States post

office; or

(2) does not relate to the cargo of the vessel.

(b) The officer of the port empowered to grant clearances shall

require from the master of such a vessel, as a condition of

clearance, an oath that he does not have under his care or control,

and will not receive or transport, any letter contrary to the

provisions of this section.

(c) Except as provided in section 1699 of title 18, the master of

a vessel arriving at a port of the United States carrying letters

not regularly in the mails shall deposit them in the post office at

the port of arrival.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 727.)

-End-

-CITE-

39 USC Sec. 603 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS

-HEAD-

Sec. 603. Searches authorized

-STATUTE-

The Postal Service may authorize any officer or employee of the

Postal Service to make searches for mail matter transported in

violation of law. When the authorized officer has reason to believe

that mailable matter transported contrary to law may be found

therein, he may open and search any -

(1) vehicle passing, or having lately passed, from a place at

which there is a post office of the United States;

(2) article being, or having lately been, in the vehicle; or

(3) store or office, other than a dwelling house, used or

occupied by a common carrier or transportation company, in which

an article may be contained.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 727.)

-End-

-CITE-

39 USC Sec. 604 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS

-HEAD-

Sec. 604. Seizing and detaining letters

-STATUTE-

An officer or employee of the Postal Service performing duties

related to the inspection of postal matters, a customs officer, or

United States marshal or his deputy, may seize at any time, letters

and bags, packets, or parcels containing letters which are being

carried contrary to law on board any vessel or on any post road.

The officer or employee who makes the seizure shall convey the

articles seized to the nearest post office, or, by direction of the

Postal Service or the Secretary of the Treasury, he may detain them

until 2 months after the final determination of all suits and

proceedings which may be brought within 6 months after the seizure

against any person for sending or carrying the letters.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 728.)

-End-

-CITE-

39 USC Sec. 605 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS

-HEAD-

Sec. 605. Searching vessels for letters

-STATUTE-

An officer or employee of the Postal Service performing duties

related to the inspection of postal matters, when instructed by the

Postal Service to make examinations and seizures, and any customs

officer without special instructions shall search vessels for

letters which may be on board, or which may have been conveyed

contrary to law.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 728.)

-End-

-CITE-

39 USC Sec. 606 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART I - GENERAL

CHAPTER 6 - PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS

-HEAD-

Sec. 606. Disposition of seized mail

-STATUTE-

Every package or parcel seized by an officer or employee of the

Postal Service performing duties related to the inspection of

postal matters, a customs officer, or United States marshal or his

deputies, in which a letter is unlawfully concealed, shall be

forfeited to the United States. The same proceedings may be used to

enforce forfeitures as are authorized in respect of goods, wares,

and merchandise forfeited for violation of the revenue laws. Laws

for the benefit and protection of customs officers making seizures

for violating revenue laws apply to officers and employees making

seizures for violating the postal laws.

-SOURCE-

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 728.)

-End-

-CITE-

39 USC PART II - PERSONNEL 01/06/03

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 39 - POSTAL SERVICE

PART II - PERSONNEL

-HEAD-

PART II - PERSONNEL

-MISC1-

Chap. Sec.

10. Employment Within the Postal Service 1001

12. Employee-Management Agreements 1201

-End-