Case Name: UNITED STATES v. MORENO et al.
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1950-04-28
Citations: 182 F.2d 258
Docket Number: No. 13012
Parties: UNITED STATES v. MORENO et al.
Judges: Before HUTCHESON, Chief Judge, and McCORD and WALLER, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 182
Pages: 258–261

Head Matter:
UNITED STATES v. MORENO et al.
No. 13012.
United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit.
April 28, 1950.
Rehearing Denied May 30, 1950.
William R. Eckhardt, III, Assistant U. S. Attorney, Houston, Texas, Brian S. Odem, U. S. Attorney, Houston, Texas, for appellant.
Horace C. Hall, Laredo, Texas, for appellee.
Before HUTCHESON, Chief Judge, and McCORD and WALLER, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
McCORD, Circuit Judge.
This is an appeal by the United States from a judgment ordering restored to claimant, Rafael Moreno, 22 tires and 22 tubes which the Government seeks to forfeit under the Export Control laws. Title 22 U.S.C.A. § 401.
The question presented is whether, at the time of their seizure, the tires and tubes were about to be unlawfully exported from the United States in such manner as to be subject to forfeiture under the statute.
On the morning of June 7, 1946, information was received by the United States Customs Service that an attempt would be made to export a new truck tire and tube out of the United States into Mexico by driving the tire and tube across the International Bridge at Laredo, Texas, on the left front wheel of an old Buick automobile. Later the same day Claimant, Rafael Moreno, arrived at the bridge driving the automobile in question. Upon examining the car the Customs Inspector found a new truck tire mounted on the left front rim, and the automobile was seized. This action was justified because the law then in effect prohibited the exportation of automobile tires and tubes without a special export license, and the claimant had been issued no such license to export new tires and tubes into Mexico. Such attempted exportation, therefore, was in violation of law, and the customs inspector acted upon probable cause in seizing the automobile as the-vehicle used to effect the unlawful exportation.
When the Claimant was questioned it was learned that there were 22 additional new tires and tubes located at his home in Laredo, Texas, which were owned by a man named Rodriguez. Moreno admitted that originally he had stored 50 tires and tubes at his home, but had disposed of the others for the owner in Mexico. Acting upon this information, the Customs Agents went to the home of the Claimant and seized the tires and tubes as about to be exported from the United States contrary to law.
On August 16, 1949, the district court entered final judgment forfeiting the automobile and the new tire mounted thereon to the United States, but restoring the 22 tires and tubes under seizure to the Claimant.
The sole ground for forfeiture of the property in question is contained in Section 401, Title 22 U.S.C.A., which provides that forfeiture shall result if the property seized "shall appear to have been about to be so unlawfully exported, shipped from, or taken out of the United States". In construing this statute, in the case of One Plymouth Automobile v. United States, 5 Cir., 165 F.2d 186, 188, this court held that the intention to unlawfully export may extend for months or years into the future, but that "the words of the statute authorize seizure only when the exportation is presently imminent". See also, Rimmer v. United States, 5 Cir., 172 F.2d 954, 960.
Here, as in the One Plymouth Automobile case, "no one at the time of seizure was moving or attempting to move these tires." Although the trial court found that claimant intended to export the remaining tires and tubes, under the statute mere intention alone is not conclusive. One Plymouth Automobile v. United States, 5 Cir., 165 F.2d 186, 188.
The trial court sat without a jury, and being the sole trier of the facts, was entitled to believe or disbelieve all or any part of the testimony of the witnesses, and to decide the proper weight to be given the testimony of each witness in every particular. Under the circumstances here involved, we conclude it was justified in finding that the tires and tubes in question were not "about to be [unlawfully] exported", within the meaning of the statute. U. S. v. 200 Watches, 2 Cir., 66 F.Supp. 228, 231.
The judgment is
Affirmed.