Norton McNaughton, Inc. v. Polar Air Cargo

OPINION OF THE COURT

Franklin R. Weissberg, J.

This is an action for the recovery of damages resulting from a stolen shipment of goods. The plaintiff, Norton McNaughton, Inc. (Norton), manufactures ladies’ clothing. Sometime in 1996, it contracted with defendant M.S.L. Express, Inc. (MSL), to have 20,830 cartons of ladies’ suits transported from its factory in Hong Kong to a bonded warehouse in New York City. MSL was to arrange the entire trip. Towards that end, MSL hired the defendant Westrans Air Express (HK) Ltd. (Westrans), a freight forwarder, to arrange for the transport of the cargo from…