---
kind: "section"
citation: "19 U.S.C. § 1628a"
title: "19"
title_heading: "Customs Duties"
number: "1628a"
heading: "Exchange of information related to trade enforcement"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/19/1628a"
units:
  - "Chapter 4 — Tariff Act of 1930"
  - "Subtitle III — Administrative Provisions"
  - "Part V — Enforcement Provisions"
---

# §1628a. Exchange of information related to trade enforcement

- (a) **In general—** Subject to subsections [(c)](#c) and [(d)](#d), if the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection suspects that merchandise is being imported into the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9) in violation of [section 1526 of this title](/usc/19/1526.md) or section [602](/usc/17/602.md), [1201(a)(2)](/usc/17/1201.md?p=a-2), or [1201(b)(1)](/usc/17/1201.md?p=b-1) of title 17 and determines that the examination or testing of the merchandise by a [person](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8) described in [subsection (b)](#b) would assist the Commissioner in determining if the merchandise is being imported in violation of that section, the Commissioner, to permit the [person](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8) to conduct the examination and testing—
  - (1) shall provide to the [person](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8) 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](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8) unredacted samples of the merchandise.
- (b) **Person described—** A [person](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8) described in this subsection is—
  - (1) in the case of merchandise suspected of being imported in violation of [section 1526 of this title](/usc/19/1526.md), 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](/usc/17/602.md), 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)](#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)](#a) information, photographs, or samples to a [person](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8) described in [subsection (b)](#b) if providing such information, photographs, or samples would compromise an ongoing law enforcement investigation or national security.

## Source credit

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 628A, as added Pub. L. 114–125, title III, § 302(a), Feb. 24, 2016, 130 Stat. 149.)