SMUGGLERS USE TANKS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 256, 25 July 1936, Page 22

SMUGGLERS USE TANKS

French Frontier Warfare

Anti-tank guns are to be issued to French and Belgian customs officers now fighting a grim guerilla struggle against highly-organised smugglers on the frontier which runs 10 miles from Hazebrouck, famous among ex-service men as a base in the Great War. Aeroplanes, a river submarine and tanks (high-powered ears armoured with steel plates) are among the weapons used by the gangsters. In the early hours one morning a six-ton furniture van, plated against bullets, tore out of the darkness near Bergues and charged through a heavy French Customs barrier, nearly killing three officers. The alarm was raised by telephone, and three police flying squad ears gave chase. They were soon in sight of the quarry, and police riflemen opened fire. Suddenly two of the pursuing cars pulled up. their tyres cut to ribbons by nails dropped on the road by the fugitives. An officer in the ear which kept up the chase, when interviewed, said: “We thought we’d got the smugglers when they turned down a road which we knew ended in a field, but they reversed the van and charged straight back at us.

“Before we could get out of the way heavy .iron bars projecting in front of the ‘tank’s’ bonnet-'knocked us over on our side into a ploughed field. The smugglers tore past, the ‘tank’ swaying madly. “I fired three shots from my rifle, but the bullets, which I picked up in' the road later, were flattened out against the metal sheeting. "I’ve often been in shows like this

before; it’s all in our day’s work here on the frontier.” The chief Customs official at Ber.giies stated that the “tank” which added this wild chapter to the amazing frontier struggle not only escaped its pursuers, but returned later to Belgium. “When we examined the trail.” he said, "we discovered, to our great amazement, tyre marks which proved that, after delivering its contraband in safety, the ‘tank’ had returned to Belgium across the very barrier which it smashed on its dash to France. “The ‘hedgehog’ barrier, consisting of a spiked chain, has proved useless against the ‘tanks.* We shall have to invent, another way to stop these gangsters.” Tiie gangsters who invaded France from Belgium with drugs, tobacco, face and other dutiable goods, have scores of secret allies among the Flemish peasantry. It is in village hiding places that skilful mechanics transform motorcars into tanks capable of defying police bullets. Several “tanks” have already successfully crossed the border of Holland. ‘ One was recently captured and sold in auction by the Customs. It was repurchased by niembers of the smug-

glers’ gang. Dogs are used to carry goods at night, tiie animal's being so highly trained that they avoid roads and paths and hide when they see the uniform of customs officials. Rafts laden with contraband often cross the frontier river Lys, and even a submarine has been used.