MARIJUANA VALUED AT £3700 SEIZED

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30401, 28 March 1964, Page 1

MARIJUANA VALUED AT £3700 SEIZED

Customs Officers Find Case Of Raw Drug

GV«?w Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, March 27.

A suitcase of raw marijuana seized by Customs officers on board the Wairimu on Wednesday would make nearly 15,000 “reefers.” Sold at 5s each, they would fetch more than £3700. “It is a fantastic amount,” said Inspector G. A. Dallow, the head of the police special duties squad dealing with narcotics. “I’ve never seen so much marijuana in my life,”

A 12-man search squad, from the Customs Department, led by an assistant boarding inspector, Mr B. McKanny, boarded the Wairimu after it anchored in the harbour . on arrival from Singapore. . This is the first time the drug has been seized from' a ship in New Zealand. The suitcase contained 111 b lloz of the drug, confirmed as being marijuana yesterday

by the Government analyst (Mr O. IL Keys). . Customs officials were, convinced that the drug was . for unloading here and not for transhipment. The Wairimu is owned by the Union Steam Ship Company and has a New Zealand crew. She is on regular trade between New Zealand and Indian , and South-east Asian ports. A police inquiry into the intended supply and distribution of the drug here will be begun immediately, said Inspector Dallow. Special duties police are working with Customs officials' on aspects of the find.