SEARCH UNDER OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 113, 16 May 1927, Page 9

SEARCH UNDER OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT

IMPORTANT DOCUMENT MISSING OPERATIONS ON SAFES AND STRONGROOMS (United Press Association.—Copyright.) ’ , ,", ~ LONDON, 15th May. An official account of the raid on the Russian Arcos building was issued to-night. The account explains that an important document was missed from a Government office a few months ago, and for it detectives had been searching continuously. In consequence of information received a few days ago, the police obtained a search Warrant under the Official Secrets Act, ; to search Arcos, primarily in order to ascertain it the missing document was in. the building.

LONDON, 15th' May. The work on the safes and strongrooms continued throughout Saturday, powerful apparatus drilling the concrete and cutting the steel. There was great excitement when the crowd realised that the police were breaking the safes. Additional forcesarrived to escort workmen with picks and shovels to clear the debris caused by the drills. Representatives of the firms who built the safes supervised the operations. POLICE IN OCCUPATION. An armed guard is still present. The police may be in occupation for some days. The secretary of Areos, viewed, said: “They will find nothing of importance.” _ After two hours’ work the police entered a strongroom at the Arcos building. They found a table and chairs, presumably used at secret meetings. Other strongrooms are now being forced, after; which the locked safes will be attacked, the operations continuing.all night long. STATEMENT BY ARCOS. , Arcos, in a statement issued after miduight, says: “Wo know no reason for the police action. If we had been requested we would at any time have produced o.ur papers, without the necessity for this melodramatic'method. ” The “Sunday Express” states that three more secret safes have been found on another floor, skilfully secreted behind an innocent-looking panelling. The “Express” understands that the vital dosument was not found, but papers regarded as very important were discovered. Some are believed to expose secrets of'tho Soviet's worldwide organisation. ,v Others relate to tho Soviet’s activities in Britain. Tho search for papers is proceeding day and night, and is not likely to be completed till the end of the week.