DRUG TRAFFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 262, 4 November 1932, Page 9

DRUG TRAFFIC.

TWO CHINESE TRAPPED. HUGE PROFIT ON COCAINE, DETECTIVE'S REVELATIONS. I (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 2S. s This week two Chinese—Walter War, 1 born at Wilcannia, where his- parents 1 reside, and Thomas Chung, a young man, - 20 years his junior—were charged with 3 having cocaine in their possession. By 1 an ingenious trick, Chung, who was a tool in War's hands, had been induced to hand a packet of cocaine to a stranger 5 who was in reality a constable in dis--1 guise, and so they were trapped. Detective Wickham, in charge of t£e 1 case, seemed quite sure of his ground. [ He stated that War, whom he regarded as a man of low criminal cunning, had . been under the observation of the police for two years, on suspicion of dealing in opium and other fornss of dope. ; Cocaine, the detective explained, i-ouiJ » be obtained for about 22/6 an ounce, , and when adulterated it was retailed at . the rate of about £50 an ounce. Of course it is one of the most demoralising of all drugs, and it is not only a direct incentive to crime, "out it is a ■ constant cause of gang warfare in Syii- , ney's underworld. In the end the men were convicted ,«and sentenced to twelve months' hard labour, and were each fined £'250 —in ; default, 500 days' imprisonment curnula- ' tive on the original sentence. They . have both appealed: for War is a man , | of substance, a well-known do? fancier , and property owner. The police say ( jthat last week he had arranged to be ,j in Castlereagh Street with 50 ounces [{of cocaine— worth in one deal! • There can be no excuse for treating tbe . drug traffic with any leniency, and it is , quite possible that these " two dope . smugglers, if they persist in taking the ; matter to another Court, may go farther and fare worse.