---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 2342"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "2342"
heading: "Unlawful acts"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/2342"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 114 — Trafficking in Contraband Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco"
---

# §2342. Unlawful acts

- (a) It shall be unlawful for any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) knowingly to ship, transport, receive, possess, sell, [distribute](/usc/18/841.md?p=n), or purchase [contraband cigarettes](/usc/18/2341.md?p=2) or [contraband smokeless tobacco](/usc/18/2341.md?p=7).
- (b) It shall be unlawful for any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) knowingly to make any false statement or representation with respect to the information required by this chapter to be kept in the records of any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) who ships, sells, or [distributes](/usc/18/841.md?p=n) any quantity of [cigarettes](/usc/18/2341.md?p=1) in excess of 10,000 in a single transaction.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 95–575, § 1, Nov. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 2464; amended Pub. L. 109–177, title I, § 121(a)(2), (b)(2), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 221, 222.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–177, § 121(b)(2), inserted “or contraband smokeless tobacco” after “contraband cigarettes”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–177, § 121(a)(2), substituted “10,000” for “60,000”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Subsec. (a) of this section effective Nov. 2, 1978, and subsec. (b) of this section effective on first day of first month beginning more than 120 days after Nov. 2, 1978, see section 4 of Pub. L. 95–575, set out as a note under section 2341 of this title.