(a) Filing of claim. Claims for the surplus proceeds of the sale of unclaimed or abandoned merchandise shall be filed with the port director at whose direction the merchandise was sold. The following shall be used in filing a claim:

(1) Unclaimed merchandise. Claims for surplus proceeds of the sale of unclaimed merchandise which has become abandoned and sold under section 491 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1491), shall be supported by the original bill of lading. If only part of a shipment is involved, either a photostatic or certified copy of the original bill of lading may be submitted in lieu of the original bill of lading.

(2) Involuntarily abandoned merchandise—(i) Warehouse goods deemed abandoned. Claims for surplus proceeds of sale of warehouse goods deemed involuntarily abandoned sold under section 559 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1559), shall be established by reference to the warehouse entry, or, if the right to withdraw the merchandise from warehouse has been transferred, by reference to the documents by which the transfer was made.

(ii) Trade fair articles deemed abandoned. Claims for surplus proceeds of sale of trade fair articles deemed involuntarily (mandatorily) abandoned under section 4 of the Trade Fair Act of 1959 (19 U.S.C. 1753(c)), shall be supported by the original bill of lading. If only part of a shipment is involved, either a photostatic copy or certified copy of the original bill of lading may be submitted in lieu of the original bill of lading. (See §147.47 of this chapter.)

(b) Payment of claim. If a claim of the owner or consignee of unclaimed or abandoned merchandise for the surplus proceeds of sale is properly established as provided in this section, such proceeds of sale shall be paid to him pursuant to section 493 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1493).

(c) Doubtful claims. Any doubtful claims for the proceeds of sale along with all pertinent documents and information available to the port director shall be forwarded to the Commissioner of Customs for instructions or for referral to the General Accounting Office for direct settlement.