§ 318.58-10 - Inspection of baggage, other personal effects, and cargo.  


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  • (a) Offer for inspection by aircraft passengers. Passengers destined for movement by aircraft from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the United States to any other State, Territory, or District of the United States, except Guam, shall offer their carry-on baggage and other personal effects for inspection at the place marked for agricultural inspections, which will be located at the airport security checkpoint or the aircraft boarding gate, at the time they pass through the checkpoint or the gate. Passengers shall offer their check-in baggage for inspection at agricultural inspection stations prior to submitting their baggage to the check-in baggage facility. When an inspector has inspected and passed such baggage or personal effects, he or she shall apply a USDA stamp, inspection sticker, or other identification to the baggage or personal effects to indicate that the baggage or personal effects have been inspected and passed as required. Passengers shall disclose any fruits, vegetables, plants, plant products, or other articles that are requested to be disclosed by the inspector. When an inspection of a passenger's baggage or personal effects discloses an article in violation of the regulations in this part, the inspector shall seize the article. The passenger shall state his or her name and address to the inspector, and provide the inspector with corroborative identification. The inspector shall record the name and address of the passenger, the nature of the identification presented for corroboration, the nature of the violation, the types of articles involved, and the date, time, and place of the violation.

    (b) Offer for inspection by aircraft crew. Aircraft crew members destined for movement by aircraft from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the United States to any other State, Territory, or District of the United States, except Guam, shall offer their baggage and personal effects for inspection at the inspection station designated for the employing airline not less than 20 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time of the aircraft or the rescheduled departure time as posted in the public areas of the airport. When an inspector has inspected and passed such baggage or personal effects, he or she shall apply a USDA stamp, inspection sticker, or other identification to the baggage or personal effects to indicate that such baggage or personal effects have been inspected and passed as required. Aircraft crew members shall disclose any fruits, vegetables, plants, plant products, or other articles that are requested to be disclosed by the inspector. When an inspection of a crew member's baggage or personal effects discloses an article in violation of the regulations in this part, the inspector shall seize the article. The crew member shall state his or her name and address to the inspector, and provide the inspector with corroborative identification. The inspector shall record the name and address of the crew member, the nature of the identification presented for corroboration, the nature of the violation, the types of articles involved, and the date, time, and place of the violation.

    (c) Baggage inspection for persons traveling to Guam on aircraft. No person who has moved from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the United States to Guam on an aircraft shall remove or attempt to remove any baggage or other personal effects from the area secured for customs inspections before the person has offered to an inspector, and had passed by the inspector, his or her baggage and other personal effects. Persons shall disclose any fruits, vegetables, plants, plant products, or other articles that are requested to be disclosed by the inspector. When an inspection of a person's baggage or personal effects discloses an article in violation of the regulations in this part, the inspector shall seize the article. The person shall state his or her name and address to the inspector, and provide the inspector with corroborative identification. The inspector shall record the name and address of the person, the nature of the identification presented for corroboration, the nature of the violation, the types of articles involved, and the date, time, and place of the violation.

    (d) Baggage accepting and loading on aircraft. No person shall accept or load any check-in aircraft baggage destined for movement from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the United States to any other State, Territory, or District of the United States, except Guam, unless a certificate is attached to the baggage, or the baggage bears a USDA stamp, inspection sticker, or other indication applied by an inspector representing that the baggage has been offered for inspection and passed by an inspector.

    (e) Offer for inspection by persons moving by ship. No person who has moved on any ship or other ocean-going craft from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the United States to any other State, Territory, or District of the United States shall remove or attempt to remove any baggage or other personal effects from a designated inspection area as provided in § 318.58-10(h), on or off the ship or other ocean-going craft unless the person has offered to an inspector for inspection, and has passed by the inspector, the baggage and other personal effects. Persons shall disclose any fruits, vegetables, plants, plant products, or other articles that are requested to be disclosed by the inspector. When an inspection of a person's baggage or personal effects discloses an article in violation of the regulations in this part, the inspector shall seize the article. The person shall state his or her name and address to the inspector, and provide the inspector with corroborative identification. The inspector shall record the name and address of the person, the nature of the identification presented for corroboration, the nature of the violation, the types of articles involved, and the date, time, and place of the violation.

    (f) Loading of certain cargoes. (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (f)(2) of this section, no person shall present to any common carrier or contract carrier for movement, and no common carrier or contract carrier shall load, any cargo containing fruits, vegetables, or other articles regulated under this subpart that are distined for movement from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the United States to any other State, Territory, or District of the United States, except Guam, unless the cargo has been offered for inspection, passed by an inspector, and bears of USDA stamp or USDA inspection sticker, or ulesss a certificate or limited permit is attached to the cargo as specified in § 318.58-3(d).

    (2) Cargo designated in paragraph (f)(1) of this section may be loaded without a USDA stamp or USDA inspection sticker, and without a certificate attached to the cargo or a limited permit attached to the cargo, if the cargo is moved:

    (i) As containerized cargo on ships or other ocean-going craft or as air cargo;

    (ii) The carrier has on file documentary evidence that a valid certificate or limited permit was issued for the movement; and

    (iii) A notation of the existence of these documents is made by the carrier on the waybill, manifest, or bill of lading that accompanies the shipment.

    (3) Cargo moved in accordance with § 318.58-12 of this subpart that does not have a limited permit attached to the cargo must have a limited permit attached to the waybill, manifest, or bill of lading accompanying the shipment.

    (g) Removal of certain cargoes in Guam. No person shall remove or attempt to remove from a designated inspection area as provided in § 318.58-10(h), on or off the means of conveyance, any cargo moved from Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands of the United States to Guam containing fruits, vegetables, or other articles regulated under this subpart, unless the cargo has been inspected and passed by an inspector in Guam.

    (h) Space and facilities for baggage inspection. Baggage inspection will not be performed until the person in charge or possession of the ship, other ocean-going craft, or aircraft provides space and facilities on the means of conveyance, pier or airport that are adequate, in the inspector's judgment, for the performance of inspections.