18 U.S.C. § 512 — Forfeiture of certain motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts

(a) If an identification number for a motor vehicle or a motor vehicle part has been removed, made unreadable ("obliterated"), tampered with, or altered, the vehicle or part is subject to seizure and forfeiture to the United States — unless one of four exceptions applies: (1) For a motor vehicle part: the part is attached to a vehicle, and that vehicle's owner doesn't know the identification number was removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered. (2) The vehicle or part has a replacement identification number that either the Secretary of Transportation authorized under chapter 301 of title 49, or that conforms to the applicable state law. (3) The removal, obliteration, tampering, or alteration was caused by a collision or fire, or was carried out the way section 511(b) of this title describes. (4) The vehicle or part is in the possession or control of a motor vehicle scrap processor who doesn't know the identification number was removed, obliterated, tampered with, or altered in any way other than by collision, fire, or as section 511(b) describes. (b) All the usual laws about seizing and condemning vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage for customs violations — including the procedures for summary and judicial forfeiture — apply to seizures and forfeitures under this section, as long as those laws don't conflict with this section. The same goes for the laws on: (1) disposing of the seized property or its sale proceeds; (2) remitting or reducing (mitigating) a forfeiture; and (3) compromising claims and paying informers. Whatever duties a customs collector would normally perform in these situations are instead performed under this section by people the Attorney General designates. (c) The terms "identification number," "motor vehicle," and "motor vehicle scrap processor" carry the same meanings given to them in section 511 of this title.