United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

United States v. Commercial Credit Co., Inc., 286 U.S. 63 (1932)

United States v. Commercial Credit Co., Inc.

No. 734

Argued April 15, 1932

Decided May 2, 1932

286 U.S. 63

Syllabus

1. Vehicles employed in the unlawful importation of intoxicating liquors may be seized and forfeited under the Tariff Act and the provisions of the Revised Statutes ancillary thereto. General Motors Acceptance Corp. v. United States, ante, p. 286 U. S. 49. P. 286 U. S. 66.

Page 286 U. S. 64

2. This extends to vehicles that take up the contraband after it has crossed the border and act as implements or links in a continuous process of carriage from the foreign country into this one. P. 286 U. S. 67.

3. When the two federal courts below are in agreement as to the inferences fairly to be gathered from the facts, their findings are not to be disturbed unless clearly erroneous. Id.

53 F.2d 977 reversed.

46 F.2d 171 affirmed.

Certiorari, 285 U.S. 534, to review the reversal of a judgment of the District Court forfeiting automobiles which had been seized and libeled by the United States for breach of the custom laws. The above-named respondent, claiming as bona fide lienor, filed an intervening petition, which was dismissed.

Page 286 U. S. 66