SMUGGLING ON INCREASE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28981, 24 August 1959, Page 3

SMUGGLING ON INCREASE

Difficulties In Detection

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 23. “Most definitely, smuggling is on the increase in New Zealand ports,” the chief boarding inspector at Wellington (Mr J. BGresham) said on Saturday. “Detected offences last year were the most I have known. There were 221 at Wellington, compared with 158 at Auckland.” Mr Gresham said it was certain there were receivers in New Zealand operating on a large scale in smuggled goods from the Far East where they were in touch with the ring supplying many commodities for transit here. When it was not possible to land the smuggled goods at Wellington or Auckland, they were known to be posted from smaller ports, he said. Some time ago the postal offcers at New Plymouth became suspicious of the frequent postings of parcels to Wellington, with the result that this avenue was closed. But the ways of smugglers were both cunning and devious, he said. Mr Gresham said the extreme shortage of staff was the greatest difficulty in the detection of smuggling. Chinese members of ships’ crews were the greatest offenders.