# Commercial Law (GCL)

## Title 18. Bills of Lading and Warehouse Receipts -- Criminal Provisions

### Subtitle 2. Bills of Lading

#### Section 18-201

(a) A person or his agent or officer may not issue a bill of lading, receipt, acknowledgment, or voucher for transport of any goods if, at the time the instrument is issued, the person has not actually received the goods for transport.

(b) An officer, agent, or employee of a carrier may not issue or aid in issuing a bill of lading for any goods:

  (1) With intent to defraud; and

  (2) With knowledge that, at the time the bill of lading is issued, the goods:

    (i) Have not been received by the carrier, its agent, or a connecting carrier; or

    (ii) Are not under the carrier's control.

#### Section 18-202

An officer, agent, or employee of a carrier may not issue or aid in issuing a duplicate or additional negotiable bill of lading for any goods in violation of Sec. 7-402 of this article:

(1) With intent to defraud; and

(2) With knowledge that the original bill of lading for the goods is outstanding and uncancelled.

#### Section 18-203

A person may not negotiate or transfer for value a bill of lading:

(1) With intent to defraud;

(2) With knowledge that any of the goods which appear by the terms of the bill of lading to have been received for transportation by the carrier which issued the bill of lading are not in the possession or control of the carrier or a connecting carrier; and

(3) Without disclosing the lack of possession and control.

#### Section 18-204

A person may not secure the issuance by a carrier of a bill of lading by inducing an officer, agent, or employee of the carrier to believe falsely that the goods were received by the carrier or are under its control:

(1) With intent to defraud; and

(2) With knowledge that, at the time the bill of lading is issued, any of the goods described in the bill of lading as received for transportation:

  (i) Have not been received by the carrier, its agent, or a connecting carrier; or

  (ii) Are not under the carrier's control.

#### Section 18-205

A person with intent to defraud may not issue or aid in issuing a nonnegotiable bill of lading without a conspicuous notation on its face of the words "not negotiable" or "nonnegotiable".

#### Section 18-206

An officer, agent, or employee of a carrier may not issue or aid in issuing a bill of lading for goods:

(1) With intent to defraud; and

(2) With knowledge that it contains a false statement.

#### Section 18-207

A person may not ship goods to which he has no title or on which there is a lien or security interest and transfer a negotiable bill of lading for the goods for value:

(1) With intent to defraud; and

(2) Without disclosing his lack of title or the existence of the lien or security interest.

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Md. Code Ann., Com. Law (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)