H.R. 5880 — Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act

This section amends the Controlled Substances Act to regulate tableting machines, encapsulating machines, and critical parts (i.e., upper punches, lower punches, and dies used to form tablets or capsules) by (1) revising the definition of "regulated person" to include manufacturers, distributors, deliverers, sellers, importers, exporters, and international brokers/traders of such machines and parts (previously limited to listed chemical handlers); (2) revising the definition of "regulated transaction" to include distribution, delivery, sale, importation, or exportation of such machines and parts (previously not specified); (3) adding definitions for "critical part," "die," "lower punch," "punch," and "upper punch"; (4) requiring regulated persons to affix serial numbers to such machines and parts as prescribed by Attorney General regulations promulgated within 180 days of enactment (with guidance for pre-enactment items and compliance deemed met if following such guidance); (5) mandating reports to the Attorney General for transactions in such machines and parts, including serial numbers; and (6) prohibiting removal, alteration, or obliteration of required serial numbers, or possession, transport, distribution, etc., of affected machines or parts knowing serial numbers have been tampered with. The serial number and reporting requirements apply only to machines and parts manufactured, distributed, delivered, sold, imported, or exported after the effective date of the regulations. (Thus, these changes enhance tracking and enforcement to curb use of such equipment in illicit controlled substance production.)