AIR SMUGGLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 25, 31 January 1938, Page 5

AIR SMUGGLING.

BARONET AND WIFE. LONDON TO PARIS JOURNEY. GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES. (Special.—By Air Mail.) LONDON, January 5. Fines totalling £95 for smuggling on ft journey from Paris by air were imposed on a baronet and his wife at Croydon. Sir Robert Abdy, aged 41, and Lady Diana Abdy, 29, of Newton Ferrers, Callington, Cornwall, were summoned together for attempting to evade duties on a gold powder-box and a gold lipstickholder, both studded with rubies. There was a similar summons against Sir Robert in respect of a gold ringj mounted with precious stones; and against Lady Diana in respect of a pair of gold cufflinks, in one of which was set a watch. All the summonses were admitted. "Knew it Was Wrong." Mr. B. M. Stephenson, prosecuting, said when Sir Robert and Lady Diana arrived at Croydon by air on November 28, Lady Diana declared four hats, three dresses and a pair of shoes she was wearing. During an examination of her toilet case an officer found an invoice. Lady Diana, said it related to some gold cufflinks. Asked why she did not declare them, she replied, "I know I should have to pay a lot of duty on them." To another officer she said, "I intended to smuggle them through if I could. I know it was wrong." She said the cufflinks were a Christmas present for her husband and asked that he should not be allowed to see thein. Their value was £22 and the duty payable was £7 2/. Mr. Stephenson said Sir Robert presented six pieces of baggage which were their joint property. He declared livel pairs of socks. J

Officers examined a hat box and found four jewel boxes. One contained a ring that was the subject matter of the diarge against Sir Robert and two others were empty. Sir Robert told an officer that he bought the ring in Paris three months previously, when he carried it in his pocket and did not declare it. In Her Handbag. The two empty boxes were questioned and it was found that the original consents were the powder box, a gold watch set with rubies and a lipstick holder to match. Those articles were being carried by Lady Diana iii her handbag. Sir Robert said he had given them to his wife in Paris as a present. They were asked why they did not declare them, and Sir Robert replied, "I am afraid it was with the intention to evade duty, especially with the ring which I brought in before." Another officer then saw Sir Robert and his wife, and Sir Robert admitted that the articles were smuggled. Mr. St. John Hutchinson, K.C., defending, said neither Sir Robert nor his wife intended to smuggle the goods when they left Paris.