Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the amount of any internal revenue tax erroneously or illegally collected in respect to exported articles may be refunded to the exporter of the article, instead of to the manufacturer, if the manufacturer waives any claim for the amount so to be refunded.

On the exportation of distilled spirits or wines manufactured, produced, bottled, or packaged in casks or other bulk containers in the United States on which an internal revenue tax has been paid or determined, and which are contained in any cask or other bulk container, or in bottles packed in cases or other containers, there shall be allowed, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, a drawback equal in amount to the tax found to have been paid or determined on such distilled spirits or wines. In the case of distilled spirits, the preceding sentence shall not apply unless the claim for drawback is filed by the bottler or packager of the spirits and unless such spirits have been marked, especially for export, under regulations prescribed by the Secretary. The Secretary is authorized to prescribe regulations governing the determination and payment or crediting of drawback of internal revenue tax on spirits and wines eligible for drawback under this subsection, including the requirements of such notices, bonds, bills of lading, and other evidence indicating payment or determination of tax and exportation as shall be deemed necessary.

Upon the exportation of imported distilled spirits, wines, and beer upon which the duties and internal revenue taxes have been paid or determined incident to their importation into the United States, and which have been found after entry to be unmerchantable or not to conform to sample or specifications, and which have been returned to customs custody, the Secretary shall, under such regulations as he shall prescribe, refund, remit, abate, or credit, without interest, to the importer thereof, the full amount of the internal revenue taxes paid or determined with respect to such distilled spirits, wines, or beer.

(1) Allowance of tax Upon the exportation of imported distilled spirits, wines, and beer upon which the duties and internal revenue taxes have been paid or determined incident to their importation into the United States, and which have been found after entry to be unmerchantable or not to conform to sample or specifications, and which have been returned to customs custody, the Secretary shall, under such regulations as he shall prescribe, refund, remit, abate, or credit, without interest, to the importer thereof, the full amount of the internal revenue taxes paid or determined with respect to such distilled spirits, wines, or beer.

(2) Destruction in lieu of exportation At the option of the importer, such imported distilled spirits, wines, and beer, after return to customs custody, may be destroyed under customs supervision and the importer thereof granted relief in the same manner and to the same extent as provided in this subsection upon exportation.

(Added Pub. L. 85–859, title II, § 201, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1336; amended Pub. L. 88–539, § 1, Aug. 31, 1964, 78 Stat. 746; Pub. L. 89–44, title VIII, § 805(f)(6), June 21, 1965, 79 Stat. 161; Pub. L. 90–630, § 2(a), Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1328; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 95–176, § 1, Nov. 14, 1977, 91 Stat. 1363; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title IV, § 454(c)(1), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 820.)