Article 51. A fine may be imposed for any of the following acts which violate
the regulations on customs control prescribed in this Law:
(1) for a means of transport to enter or leave the territory at a place
without a customs establishment;
(2) to fail to inform the Customs of the arrival and departure time of a
means of transport and the place where it will stay or any change of such a
place;
(3) to fail to declare truthfully to the Customs the import or export goods
or the transit, transshipment and through goods;
(4) to fail to accept, in accordance with relevant regulations, the checking
and examination by the Customs of the means of transport, goods or articles
entering or leaving the territory;
(5) for an inward or outward means of transport to load or unload inward or
outward goods or articles or let passengers get on or off without customs
approval;
(6) for an inward or outward means of transport staying at a place with a
customs establishment to leave without customs approval;
(7) for an inward or outward means of transport en route from one place with
a customs establishment to another with a customs establishment to move out of
the territory or to a point in the territory where there is no customs
establishment without completing the clearance formalities and obtaining customs
approval;
(8) for an inward or outward means of transport to engage concurrently in or
change to service within the territory without customs approval;
(9) for an inward or outward vessel or aircraft which, by force majeure,
stops or lands at a place without a customs establishment, or jettisons or
discharges goods or articles in the territory to fail unjustifiably to report to
the customs authorities nearby;
(10) to open, pick up, deliver, forward, change, repack, mortgage or transfer
goods under customs control without customs approval;
(11) to open or break seals affixed by the Customs without authorization;
or
(12) to violate other provisions specified in this Law concerning customs
control so that the Customs cannot exercise or has to suspend control over
inward and outward means of transport, goods or articles.
Article 52. The smuggled goods and articles, illegal incomes and means of
transport used for smuggling which are confiscated and the fines which are
imposed by order of the people's court shall all be turned over to the State
Treasury, and so shall be the smuggled goods and articles and illegal incomes
which are confiscated and the fines which are imposed by decision of the
Customs. It is the responsibility of the Customs to handle all smuggled goods
and articles and the means of transport used for smuggling which are confiscated
by order of the people's court or by decision of the Customs and to turn them
over to the State Treasury in accordance with the regulations of the State
Council.
Article 53. If the party concerned objects to the customs decision of
punishment, he may hand in an application for a reconsideration of the case,
either to the customs establishment making the decision or to one at the next
higher level, within 30 days of the receipt of the notification on punishment
or, in case notification is impossible, within 30 days of the public
announcement of the punishment. If the party concerned finds the decision
reached after reconsideration still unacceptable, he may file a suit in a
people's court within 30 days of the receipt of the decision. The party
concerned may also file a suit directly in a people's court within 30 days of
the receipt of the notification on punishment or within 30 days of the public
announcement of the punishment. If the party concerned refuses to carry out the
Customs decision and fails to apply for a reconsideration of the case or file a
suit in a people's court within the prescribed time limit, the customs
establishment making the decision of punishment may confiscate the deposit of
the party concerned or sell off the goods, articles or means of transport it has
detained to substitute for the penalty, or ask the people's court for mandatory
execution of the decision.
Article 54. If the Customs causes damage to any inward and outward goods or
articles while examining them, it shall make up for the actual loss from such
damage.
Article 55. The criminal responsibility of any customs personnel who divide
up confiscated smuggled goods or articles among themselves shall be investigated
and determined in accordance with Article 155 of the Criminal Law of the
People's Republic of China.
No customs personnel shall be allowed to purchase confiscated smuggled goods
or articles. Those who have done so shall be made to return the goods or
articles, and may be given a disciplinary sanction.
Article 56. Any customs personnel who abuse their powers and intentionally
create difficulties in or procrastinate the control and examination process
shall be given a disciplinary sanction. Those who act illegally for personal
gains, neglect their duties or connive at smuggling shall be given a
disciplinary sanction or investigated for criminal responsibility in accordance
with the law, depending on the seriousness of the case.
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