--- kind: "section" citation: "7 U.S.C. § 511i" title: "7" title_heading: "Agriculture" number: "511i" heading: "Offenses" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/511i" units: - "Chapter 21A — Tobacco Inspection" --- # §511i. Offenses It shall be unlawful— - (a) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) to use the words “United States”, “Government”, or “Federal”, or any abbreviation thereof, in, or in connection with, any statement relating to the grade of [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) when such grade is not, in fact, one of the grades for [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) according to the standards of the United States. - (b) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) falsely to make, issue, alter, forge, or counterfeit, or aid, cause, procure, or assist in or be a party to the false making, issuing, altering, forging, or counterfeiting of any certificate, stamp, tag, seal, label, or other writing purporting to be issued or authorized under this chapter. - (c) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a), not an authorized [inspector](/usc/7/511.md?p=c) under this chapter, to issue a certificate or report stating the type, grade, size, or condition of any lot of [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) to be in accordance with the standards of the United States therefor which is of such color, size, arrangement, or wording as to be mistaken for a certificate issued under this chapter, unless such certificate [states](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) in prominent letters in its heading that it is not issued under authority of the United States. - (d) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) employed, designated, or licensed by the [Secretary](/usc/7/511.md?p=b) as an [inspector](/usc/7/511.md?p=c), [sampler](/usc/7/511.md?p=d), or [weigher](/usc/7/511.md?p=e) of [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) under this chapter knowingly to inspect, sample, or weigh improperly, or to issue any false certificate under this chapter, or to accept money or other consideration, directly or indirectly, for any neglect or improper performance of duty as an [inspector](/usc/7/511.md?p=c), [sampler](/usc/7/511.md?p=d) or [weigher](/usc/7/511.md?p=e). - (e) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) improperly to influence or to attempt improperly to influence or forcibly to assault, resist, impede, or interfere with any [inspector](/usc/7/511.md?p=c), [sampler](/usc/7/511.md?p=d), [weigher](/usc/7/511.md?p=e), or other [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) employed, designated, or licensed by the [Secretary](/usc/7/511.md?p=b) in the execution of his duties under this chapter: Provided, however, That nothing herein shall operate to prevent the owner of [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) from appealing or protesting, in accordance with regulations of the [Secretary](/usc/7/511.md?p=b), the grade certified for his [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f). - (f) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) falsely to represent or otherwise indicate that he is authorized by the [Secretary](/usc/7/511.md?p=b) to inspect, sample, or weigh [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) under this chapter. - (g) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) to substitute, or attempt to substitute, following inspection or sampling or weighing under this chapter, other [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) for [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) actually inspected or sampled or weighed, or in the case of [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) inspected in auction warehouses for any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) not so authorized by the [Secretary](/usc/7/511.md?p=b) to remove any certificate of grade from any lot of [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) prior to the sale of such lot. - (h) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) falsely to represent that [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) has been inspected, sampled, or weighed under this chapter; or knowingly to have made any false representation concerning [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) inspected under this chapter; or knowing that [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) is to be offered for inspection or sampling under this chapter to load, pack, or arrange such [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) in such manner as knowingly to conceal foreign matter or [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) of inferior grade, quality, or condition; or for any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) knowing that [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) has been so loaded, packed, or arranged, to offer it for inspection or sampling without disclosing such knowledge to the [inspector](/usc/7/511.md?p=c) or [sampler](/usc/7/511.md?p=d) before inspection or sampling. - (i) For any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) willfully to alter an official sample of [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) by removing or plucking leaves or otherwise, or for any [person](/usc/7/511.md?p=a) knowing that an official sample of [tobacco](/usc/7/511.md?p=f) has been so altered, thereafter to represent such sample as an official sample. ## Source credit (Aug. 23, 1935, ch. 623, § 10, 49 Stat. 733.)