U.S. Code » Title 21 » Chapter CHAPTER 13— DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— IMPORT AND EXPORT

21 U.S.C. § 953

Exportation of controlled substances

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(a) Narcotic drugs in schedule I, II, III, or IVIt shall be unlawful to export from the United States any narcotic drug in schedule I, II, III, or IV unless—(1) it is exported to a country which is a party to—(A) the International Opium Convention of 1912 for the Suppression of the Abuses of Opium, Morphine, Cocaine, and Derivative Drugs, or to the International Opium Convention signed at Geneva on February 19, 1925; or(B) the Convention for Limiting the Manufacture and Regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs concluded at Geneva, July 13, 1931, as amended by the protocol signed at Lake Success on December 11, 1946, and the protocol bringing under international control drugs outside the scope of the convention of July 13, 1931, for limiting the manufacture and regulating the distribution of narcotic drugs (as amended by the protocol signed at Lake Success on December 11, 1946), signed at Paris, November 19, 1948; or(C) the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, signed at New York, March 30, 1961;(2) such country has instituted and maintains, in conformity with the conventions to which it is a party, a system for the control of imports of narcotic drugs which the Attorney General deems adequate;(3) the narcotic drug is consigned to a holder of such permits or licenses as may be required under the laws of the country of import, and a permit or license to import such drug has been issued by the country of import;(4) substantial evidence is furnished to the Attorney General by the exporter that (A) the narcotic drug is to be applied exclusively to medical or scientific uses within the country of import, and (B) there is an actual need for the narcotic drug for medical or scientific uses within such country; and(5) a permit to export the narcotic drug in each instance has been issued by the Attorney General.(b) Exception for exportation for special scientific purposes

Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Attorney General may authorize any narcotic drug (including crude opium and coca leaves) in schedule I, II, III, or IV to be exported from the United States to a country which is a party to any of the international instruments mentioned in subsection (a) if the particular drug is to be applied to a special scientific purpose in the country of destination and the authorities of such country will permit the importation of the particular drug for such purpose.

(c) Nonnarcotic controlled substances in schedule I or IIIt shall be unlawful to export from the United States any nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule I or II unless—(1) it is exported to a country which has instituted and maintains a system which the Attorney General deems adequate for the control of imports of such substances;(2) the controlled substance is consigned to a holder of such permits or licenses as may be required under the laws of the country of import;(3) substantial evidence is furnished to the Attorney General that (A) the controlled substance is to be applied exclusively to medical, scientific, or other legitimate uses within the country to which exported, (B) it will not be exported from such country, and (C) there is an actual need for the controlled substance for medical, scientific, or other legitimate uses within the country; and(4) a permit to export the controlled substance in each instance has been issued by the Attorney General.(d) Exception for exportation for special scientific purposes

Notwithstanding subsection (c), the Attorney General may authorize any nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule I or II to be exported from the United States if the particular substance is to be applied to a special scientific purpose in the country of destination and the authorities of such country will permit the importation of the particular drug for such purpose.

(e) Nonnarcotic controlled substances in schedule III or IV; controlled substances in schedule VIt shall be unlawful to export from the United States to any other country any nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule III or IV or any controlled substances in schedule V unless—(1) there is furnished (before export) to the Attorney General documentary proof that importation is not contrary to the laws or regulations of the country of destination for consumption for medical, scientific, or other legitimate purposes;(2) it is exported pursuant to such notification or declaration, or in the case of any nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule III, such export permit, notification, or declaration as the Attorney General may by regulation prescribe; and(3) in the case of a nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule IV or V which is also listed in schedule I or II of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, it is exported pursuant to such export permit requirements, prescribed by regulation of the Attorney General, as are required by the Convention.(f) Exception for exportation for subsequent exportNotwithstanding subsections (a)(4) and (c)(3), the Attorney General may authorize any controlled substance that is in schedule I or II, or is a narcotic drug in schedule III or IV, to be exported from the United States to a country for subsequent export from that country to another country, if each of the following conditions is met:(1) Both the country to which the controlled substance is exported from the United States (referred to in this subsection as the “first country”) and the country to which the controlled substance is exported from the first country (referred to in this subsection as the “second country”) are parties to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971.(2) The first country and the second country have each instituted and maintain, in conformity with such Conventions, a system of controls of imports of controlled substances which the Attorney General deems adequate.(3) With respect to the first country, the controlled substance is consigned to a holder of such permits or licenses as may be required under the laws of such country, and a permit or license to import the controlled substance has been issued by the country.(4) With respect to the second country, substantial evidence is furnished to the Attorney General by the person who will export the controlled substance from the United States that—(A) the controlled substance is to be consigned to a holder of such permits or licenses as may be required under the laws of such country, and a permit or license to import the controlled substance is to be issued by the country; and(B) the controlled substance is to be applied exclusively to medical, scientific, or other legitimate uses within the country.(5)(A) The controlled substance will not be exported from the second country, except that the controlled substance may be exported from a second country that is a member of the European Economic Area to another country that is a member of the European Economic Area, provided that the first country is also a member of the European Economic Area.(B) Subsequent to any re-exportation described in subparagraph (A), a controlled substance may continue to be exported from any country that is a member of the European Economic Area to any other such country, if—(i) the conditions applicable with respect to the first country under paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (6), and (7) are met by each subsequent country from which the controlled substance is exported pursuant to this paragraph; and(ii) the conditions applicable with respect to the second country under paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (6), and (7) are met by each subsequent country to which the controlled substance is exported pursuant to this paragraph.(6)(A) Within 30 days after the controlled substance is exported from the first country to the second country, the person who exported the controlled substance from the United States delivers to the Attorney General documentation certifying that such export from the first country has occurred.(B) In the case of re-exportation among members of the European Economic Area, within 30 days after each re-exportation, the person who exported the controlled substance from the United States delivers to the Attorney General—(i) documentation certifying that such re-exportation has occurred; and(ii) information concerning the consignee, country, and product.(7) A permit to export the controlled substance from the United States has been issued by the Attorney General.(g) LimitationSubject to paragraphs (5) and (6) of subsection (f) in the case of any controlled substance in schedule I or II or any narcotic drug in schedule III or IV, the Attorney General shall not promulgate nor enforce any regulation, subregulatory guidance, or enforcement policy which impedes re-exportation of any controlled substance among European Economic Area countries, including by promulgating or enforcing any requirement that—(1) re-exportation from the first country to the second country or re-exportation from the second country to another country occur within a specified period of time; or(2) information concerning the consignee, country, and product be provided prior to exportation of the controlled substance from the United States or prior to each re-exportation among members of the European Economic Area.(Pub. L. 91–513, title III, § 1003, Oct. 27, 1970, 84 Stat. 1286; Pub. L. 95–633, title I, § 106, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3772; Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 522, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2076; Pub. L. 109–57, § 1(b), Aug. 2, 2005, 119 Stat. 592; Pub. L. 114–89, § 4, Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 701.)Editorial NotesReferences in Text

Schedules I, II, III, IV and V, referred to in text, are set out in section 812(c) of this title.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (f)(5). Pub. L. 114–89, § 4(1)(A), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted “, except that the controlled substance may be exported from a second country that is a member of the European Economic Area to another country that is a member of the European Economic Area, provided that the first country is also a member of the European Economic Area” before period at end, and added subpar. (B).

Subsec. (f)(6). Pub. L. 114–89, § 4(1)(B), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A) and added subpar. (B).

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 114–89, § 4(2), added subsec. (g).

2005—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–57 added subsec. (f).

1984—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 98–473 in cl. (1) inserted provisions for consumption for medical, etc., purposes, added cls. (2) and (3), and struck out former cls. (2) to (4), respectively, relating to a special controlled substance invoice, two additional copies of the invoice, and exportation of a nonnarcotic controlled substance in schedule III, IV, or V, also listed in schedule I or II of the Convention.

1978—Subsec. (e)(4). Pub. L. 95–633 added par. (4).

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–633 effective on date the Convention on Psychotropic Substances enters into force in the United States [July 15, 1980], see section 112 of Pub. L. 95–633, set out as an Effective Date note under section 801a of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective on first day of seventh calendar month that begins after Oct. 26, 1970, see 1105(a) of Pub. L. 91–513, set out as a under section 951 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 24 cases, 1975–2015 · leading case: United States v. Darrel Riviere, 924 F.2d 1289 (3rd Cir. 1991).
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United States v. Darrel Riviere, 924 F.2d 1289 (3rd Cir. 1991). · cites it 5× “Croix predicated upon violations of 21 U.S.C. §§ 953 and 955, which respectively prohibit exporting a Schedule I or II controlled substance (marijuana) and departing from the United States on board a vessel or aircraft in possession of such a controlled substance.”
United States v. Citlalli Flores, 802 F.3d 1028 (9th Cir. 2015). · cites it 2× “For example, the prosecutor asked: “So your testimony is you brought drugs from the United States to Mexico but not from Mexico into the United States?”; “Do you have an estimate of when you brought drugs from the United States into Mexico?”; and “You had driven drugs once again…”
United States v. James Cabaccang, United States of Am. v. Richard T. Cabaccang, United States of Am. v. Roy Toves Cabaccang, 332 F.3d 622 (9th Cir. 2003). “The court further observed that under a logical extension of the government’s reading of the importation statute, the act of leaving domestic territory and entering international waters would have to be considered an illegal exportation under § 952(a)’s companion statute, 21…”
United States v. Silvestre M. Rivera, 996 F.2d 993 (9th Cir. 1993). “For example, an excluded federal offense is 21 U.S.C. § 953 , prohibiting the exportation of controlled substances from the United States.”
United States v. Pedro E. Ozuna, 170 F.3d 654 (6th Cir. 1999). “Ozuna, was charged in a five-count indictment with exportation of cocaine ( 21 U.S.C. § 953 ), importation of cocaine ( 21 U.”
United States v. Bradley Oliver Bowen, United States v. Rinaldo Ticchiarelli, A/K/A Ronaldo, A/K/A Whitney Dorey, 127 F.3d 9 (1st Cir. 1997). “§ 841 (a)(1); exporting a Schedule I controlled substance (“hashish oil”) as well as marihuana from the United States, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 953 . Count Eight charged Ticchiarelli with making false representations to the Customs Service by presenting false identification,…”
United States v. Mauricio Londono-Villa, 930 F.2d 994 (2d Cir. 1991). “Alternatively, since, with exceptions not pertinent here, Congress outlawed the exportation of controlled substances from the United States generally without regard to destination, see 21 U.S.C. § 953 (1988) (prohibiting “exportation of narcotic drugs] from the United States”),…”
United States v. Gambino, 729 F. Supp. 954 (S.D.N.Y. 1990). “The only substantial difference is that the Romano I indictment charged a conspiracy to export controlled substances under 21 U.S.C. § 953 . Also, in addition to charging violations involving heroin and cocaine, the Romano I indictment charges the defendants with the…”
Spatola v. United States, 741 F. Supp. 362 (E.D.N.Y 1990). “§ 848 (continuing criminal enterprise); 21 U.S.C. § 953 (exportation of controlled substances).”
United States v. Abdul Williams, 176 F.3d 714 (3rd Cir. 1999). “§ 952 (prohibiting the importation of controlled substances); 21 U.S.C. § 953 (prohibiting the export of controlled substances).”
Chein v. Drug Enf't Admin., 533 F.3d 828 (D.C. Cir. 2008). “” (citations omitted)); see also 21 U.S.C. § 953 (e) (registered exporter required to file export declaration with DEA indicating “importation is not contrary to the laws or regulations of the country of destination” for each shipment).”
United States v. MacAllister, 160 F.3d 1304 (11th Cir. 1998). “§ 963 provides that: Any person who attempts or conspires to commit any offense defined in this subchapter is punishable by imprisonment or fine or both which may not exceed the maximum punishment prescribed for the offense, the commission of which was the object of the attempt…”
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