Section 16

No person shall act as agent for transacting business relating to the import or export through a collection station of any goods except with the permission of the Collector.

When any person applies to the Collector for permission to act as agent on behalf of another person, the Collector may require the applicant to produce a written authority from the person on whose behalf he is to act and in default of that authority the Collector may refuse such permission.

Before granting such permission, the Collector may require the agent to give such security as he may consider adequate for the faithful and incorrupt conduct of the agent and of his clerks acting for him both as regards the customs and his employers.

The Collector may suspend or cancel any permission granted under this section, if the agent commits any breach of this Act or of any regulations made thereunder or if he fails to comply with any direction given by a Federal officer of customs with regard to the business transacted by the agent.

Any person who acts as agent when permission has not been granted to him under this section or while such permission is cancelled or suspended, or who makes or causes to be made a declaration of any goods without being duly authorised for that purpose by the importer or exporter or consignor or consignee of the goods shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500.

The clerk or employee of any person or firm may transact business generally at any collection station on behalf of that person or firm:Provided that the Collector may refuse to transact business with such clerk or employee unless the person or a member of the firm identifies the clerk or employee to the Collector as empowered to transact the business and deposits with the Collector a signed authority authorising the clerk or employee to transact such business on behalf of that person or firm.