OPIUM RAID

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 260, 3 November 1941, Page 8

OPIUM RAID

FINES TOTAL £135

FOUR CHINESE IN COURT

Sequel to a raid on Chinese premises in Grey's Avenue by Detective-Sergeants Aplin and Brady and Detective Mathieson at 5.30 on Friday afternoon was the appearance of four of the occupants in the Police Court this morning.

Fong Tom, aged 65, a laundryman. was charged that being the occupier he permitted the premises to be used for the smoking of opium, while Ah Lee, gardener, aged 55, and Wong Mow, gardener, aged 42, were each charged with being found in possession of an opium pipe. Ah Lim. aged 57, a labourer, was charged with being found in possession of prepared opium.

The four Chinese, for Avhom Mr. Henry Ah Kew appeared, pleaded guilty.

Detective-Sergeant Nalder said the premises were not barricaded, as was generally the case with houses used for the smoking of opium. It was not suggested that the premises were extensively used for opium smoking. Only the friends of the occupier were found there. "No scales were found and we do not suggest that the premises were commercialised in any way," added Mr. Nalder. "Fong Tom told the detectives he was a sick man and required the opium to smoke."

Ah Lim had not been in trouble previously, but the other three accused had been before the Court.

Mr. Ah Kew said that Fong Tom was a pensioner. The other three Chinese were his friends. Two of them were opium addicts, but had kept out of trouble for some years. "I-ong Tom allowed his friends to smoke, but only as a social gathering," continued Mr. Ah Kew. "He did not sell or in any way traffic in opium." The magistrate fined Fong Tom £50, which was the minimum penalty. Ah Lim was fined the minimum, which in his case was £25, but Ah Lee and Wong Mow were each fined £30.