Us Code § 2275 - Firing or tampering with vessels
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 2275 — Firing or tampering with vessels, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 2275. Firing or tampering with vessels
Whoever sets fire to any vessel of foreign registry, or any vessel of American registry entitled to engage in commerce with foreign nations, or to any vessel of the United States, or to the cargo of the same, or tampers with the motive power of instrumentalities of navigation of such vessel, or places bombs or explosives in or upon such vessel, or does any other act to or upon such vessel while within the jurisdiction of the United States, or, if such vessel is of American registry, while she is on the high sea, with intent to injure or endanger the safety of the vessel or of her cargo, or of persons on board, whether the injury or danger is so intended to take place within the jurisdiction of the United States, or after the vessel shall have departed therefrom and whoever attempts to do so shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 804; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §502 (June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title III, §1, 40 Stat. 221).
Words "as defined in section 501 of this title," were omitted in view of section 9 of this title, defining vessel of the United States.
Last sentence of said section 502, defining "United States", was incorporated in section 5 of this title.
Provision prohibiting conspiracy was deleted as adequately covered by the general conspiracy statute, section 371 of this title.
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted "fined under this title" for "fined not more than $10,000".
About This Section
18 U.S.C. § 2275 is part of Title 18 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 18 U.S.C. § 2275. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.