§ 8–305. Penalty.

Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of §§ 151—154 [repealed], 156—161 [repealed] and 162—164a [repealed] of Title 7, United States Code, or who shall forge, counterfeit, alter, deface, or destroy any certificate provided for in said sections, or in the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $500 or by imprisonment not exceeding 1 year, or both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court; provided, that no common carrier shall be deemed to have violated the provisions of §§ 152 [repealed], 154 [repealed], 156—161 [repealed] and 162 [repealed] of Title 7, United States Code, on proof that such carrier did not knowingly receive for transportation or transport nursery stock or other plants or plant products as such from 1 state, territory, or district of the United States into or through any other state, territory, or district; and it shall be the duty of the United States Attorneys diligently to prosecute any violations of §§ 151—154 [repealed], 156—161 [repealed] and 162—164a [repealed] of Title 7, United States Code which are brought to their attention by the Secretary of Agriculture or which come to their notice by other means.