§ 401.4 Duties of Bureau of Customs.

With respect to every vessel, vehicle, and aircraft seized and placed in the custody of a district director of customs pursuant to the said act of August 9, 1939, and the regulations in this part, the appropriate officials of the Bureau of Customs are hereby authorized and designated as the officers who shall perform such administrative duties in connection with—

(a) The summary and judicial forfeiture and condemnation of such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft;

(b) The disposition of such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft or the proceeds from the sale thereof;

(c) The remission or mitigation of the forfeiture of such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft; and

(d) The compromise of claims and the award of compensation to informers in respect to such vessel, vehicle, or aircraft;

as may be necessary and proper by virtue of the provisions of said act of August 9, 1939, and by virtue of the provisions of the customs laws which the said act makes applicable in connection with seizures and forfeitures incurred or alleged to have been incurred under the said act and the regulations in this part. In the performance of said administrative duties the said appropriate officials of the Bureau of Customs shall be governed by the procedures established by the customs regulations, insofar as such procedures are applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of the said act of August 9, 1939, and the regulations in this part. Powers of the character of those exercised by the Secretary of the Treasury and Commissioner of Customs is connection with the remission or mitigation of forfeitures under the customs laws and in connection with the compromise of claims and the award of compensation to informers under the customs laws shall be exercised by the Secretary of the Treasury in connection with the remission or mitigation of forfeitures under the said act of August 9, 1939, and in connection with the compromise of claims and the award of compensation to informers under the said act.