Rudolph Miles & Sons, Inc. v. United States

79 Cust. Ct. 45, 1977 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 927
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedAugust 12, 1977
DocketC.D. 4711; Court Nos. 74-8-02220 and 74-11-03241
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 79 Cust. Ct. 45 (Rudolph Miles & Sons, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rudolph Miles & Sons, Inc. v. United States, 79 Cust. Ct. 45, 1977 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 927 (cusc 1977).

Opinion

Richaedson, Judge:

Tbe merchandise in this consolidated action consists of dried, unground chib peppers which were exported from Mexico during the period between May, 1973 and March, 1974, and classified in hquidation upon entry at tbe port of El Paso, Texas,under TSUS item 161.80, the provision for anabeim and ancbo peppers, at tbe duty rate of 5 cents per pound. It is claimed by tbe plaintiff that tbe merchandise is properly classifiable as'unground capsicum or cayenne or red peppers other than anabeim and ancbo peppers under TSUS item 161.83 as modified by T.D. 68-9, at tbe duty rate of 2.5 cents per pound. It is conceded by tbe parties that tbe merchandise in issue is not anabeim peppers.

Tbe question presented for determination in tbe case is whether tbe imported chibes are “anchos” as contended for by tbe government or “pasillas” as claimed by tbe importer.

[46]*46Testimonial and otber evidence in the record bearing on the issue is conflicting. Thomas P. Gonzalez, president of the ultimate' consignee, and who has been buying peppers such as those at bar for 40 odd years, testified (R. 15-16):

Q. Would you tell me what types of peppers you bought that were covered by these particular entries?
A. This importation, on one of my trips to Mexico, I purchased.
Judge Richardsojst: Which case are you referring to now? You have two cases here.
The Witness: I am referring to both.'
Judge Richardson: All right.
A. (Continuing) On trips that I made to Mexico, which I call buying trips, to purchase peppers. On both occasions, I was there prior to the shipments and purchased the chilis known as chilis pasillas, and I instructed the sellers to ship them. One of these entries in this case contain different chilis than the chili pasillas.
Q. Mr. Gonzalez, do you usually receive the chilies in the United States that you purchased from these farmers in Mexico when you are traveling in Mexico?
A. Do you mean, do I personally receive them?
Q. Do you get what you buy?
A. Yes, usually.

The witness identified exhibits A through I as being chili pepper samples from particular entries before the court. H$ also identified exhibits 1 through 3 as being samples of chili peppers sent to bim by or at the direction of his customhouse broker at El Paso right after entries before the court were made, and said to have been taken from particular entries before the court, in keeping with his company’s customary business practice of keeping and retaining for long periods of time samples sent by the customs broker. Although the witness was of the opinion that exhibits A through I were not identical in shape to exhibits 1 through 3, he was of the opinion that the chili pepper samples exemplified in exhibits A through I were of the same variety as those exemplified in exhibits 1 through 3. The witness identified them all as pasillas.

The witness identified exhibit 4 as a sample of merchandise received under entry 110939 which was purchased in a different area in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, and which is known as a chilaca or hot pepper. The invoice in entry 110939 in court No. 74-11-03241 to which the witness refers describes the merchandise as “chile colorado seco.”

Mr. Gonzalez testified that the ancho pepper is of a wide configuration. It is called ancho because of its shape, the term meaning “wide” in Spanish; and translated into English means “very wide pepper.” [47]*47According to the witness the ancho is also characterized by its wrinkly skin; and is very dark red in color, almost black; but not as black as the pasilla pepper. Mr. Gonzalez stated that there is no regional difference with respect to the way the ancho pepper is described in Mexico. The ancho pepper is always called “ancho.” He said that because it is such a well-known pepper which is only grown in a certain area it has always been “ancho,” and has never had a different name in Mexico. There isn’t any confusion in Mexico with regard to the “ancho.”

With respect to the pasilla pepper Mr. Gonzalez testified that it is smaller than the ancho; it runs from narrow to a little wider than the anaheim which is longer and narrower than the ancho. The pasilla, almost tends to be black in color; it has less red color units than the ancho. Mr. Gonzalez stated that the pasilla pepper is always referred to as “pasilla” in the interior of Mexico and in Baja, California. And when asked on cross-examination if he ever noticed regional differences with respect to the way a pasilla pepper is described, the witness answered, “not too much on that one.”

Dr. Roy M. Nakayama, associate professor of horticulture at New Mexico State Unitversiy was called as a witness on defendant’s behalf. The witness has a bachelor of science degree from New Mexico State University where his major field was in agricultural botany, a master’s degree in the areas of plant pathology and mycology from Iowa State University, and a Ph. D. degree from Iowa State University where his major fields of concentration were in horticulture, plant breeding, and plant pathology. He has authored four research reports on chili agriculture, varieties, and descriptions, has written articles on chili research which have been published in newspapers and magazines, and holds membership in professional associations concerned with chilies.

With respect to Mexican chilies, Dr. Nakayama testified that he has traveled in Mexico, has observed chili fields in central Mexico, talked with farmers and other people regarding chili, and is aware of the terminology these people use to describe chili. The witness, although admitting that he has had no experience with commercial chilies as such, stated that anchos are not grown commercially in Mexico but in gardens for local sales, primarily because of demand. As to terminology Dr. Nakayama testified (R. 61-62):

Q. Have you noted at all whether or not there are regional differences in Mexico to describe an ancho pepper, or something which you would refer to, or what would be referred to in the United States, as “ancho pepper?”
A. Yes, I have run up against that in the area along the Rio Grande, generally west and adjacent to Brownsville, Texas. They grow chili that fits the description, the fruit description of ancho, but they refer to it as a chili mulatto.
[48]*48Q. Have you run into any other differences?
A: There are some that are called — very similar shaped pepper to the ancho — pasilla.

The witness pointed out that in identifying chili pepper the primary points he considers are general shape and size configuration and the texture of the fruit after it is dried, noting that some characteristics of chilies cannot be determined until they are dry.

Dr. Nakayama examined and identified exhibits A through I as anchos, and exhibits 1 and 2 as pasillas. He compared exhibit 2 with exhibits C, D, and E and stated that they are different varieties of peppers. The witness also agreed with the description of an ancho chili in exhibit L which he said is a grower’s guide put out by Petoseed Company primarily for commercial growers.

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Bluebook (online)
79 Cust. Ct. 45, 1977 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 927, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rudolph-miles-sons-inc-v-united-states-cusc-1977.