---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 2283"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "2283"
heading: "Transportation of explosive, biological, chemical, or radioactive or nuclear materials"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/2283"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 111 — Shipping"
---

# §2283. Transportation of explosive, biological, chemical, or radioactive or nuclear materials

- (a) **In General.—** [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) knowingly transports aboard any vessel within the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) and on waters subject to the jurisdiction of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or any vessel outside the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) and on the high seas or having [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) nationality an [explosive or incendiary device](/usc/18/232.md?p=5), [biological agent](/usc/18/178.md?p=1), [chemical weapon](/usc/18/229F.md?p=1), or radioactive or nuclear material, knowing that any such item is intended to be used to commit an offense listed under [section 2332b(g)(5)(B)](/usc/18/2332b.md?p=g-5-B), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both.
- (b) **Causing Death.—** Any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) who causes the death of a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) by engaging in conduct prohibited by [subsection (a)](#a) may be punished by death.
- (c) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) **Biological agent.—** The term “[biological agent](/usc/18/178.md?p=1)” means any [biological agent](/usc/18/178.md?p=1), [toxin](/usc/18/178.md?p=2), or [vector](/usc/18/178.md?p=4) (as those terms are defined in [section 178](/usc/18/178.md)).
  - (2) **By-product material.—** The term “by-product material” has the meaning given that term in section 11(e) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 ([42 U.S.C. 2014(e)](/usc/42/2014.md?p=e)).
  - (3) **Chemical weapon.—** The term “[chemical weapon](/usc/18/229F.md?p=1)” has the meaning given that term in [section 229F(1)](/usc/18/229F.md?p=1).
  - (4) **Explosive or incendiary device.—** The term “[explosive or incendiary device](/usc/18/232.md?p=5)” has the meaning given the term in [section 232(5)](/usc/18/232.md?p=5) and includes [explosive materials](/usc/18/841.md?p=c), as that term is defined in [section 841(c)](/usc/18/841.md?p=c) and [explosive](/usc/18/841.md?p=d) as defined in [section 844(j)](/usc/18/844.md?p=j).
  - (5) **Nuclear material.—** The term “nuclear material” has the meaning given that term in [section 831(f)(1)](/usc/18/831.md?p=f-1).[^1]
  - (6) **Radioactive material.—** The term “radioactive material” means—
    - (A) source material and special nuclear material, but does not include natural or depleted uranium;
    - (B) nuclear by-product material;
    - (C) material made radioactive by bombardment in an accelerator; or
    - (D) all refined isotopes of radium.
  - (8) **2 Source material.—** The term “source material” has the meaning given that term in section 11(z) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 ([42 U.S.C. 2014(z)](/usc/42/2014.md?p=z)).
  - (9) **Special nuclear material.—** The term “special nuclear material” has the meaning given that term in section 11(aa) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 ([42 U.S.C. 2014(aa)](/usc/42/2014.md?p=aa)).

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.
[^2]: So in original. No par. (7) has been enacted.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 109–177, title III, § 305(a), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 236.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 831(f)(1), referred to in subsec. (c)(5), was redesignated section 831(g)(1) by Pub. L. 114–23, title VIII, § 812(d), June 2, 2015, 129 Stat. 312.