OPIUM SMOKING

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 118, 14 November 1929, Page 11

OPIUM SMOKING

CHINESE LAUNDRY RAIDED

A raid made yesterday by Detectives ju Lennan and Jarrold on a Chinese laundry at 215, Riddiford street; resulted in the appearance in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afteroon of the occupier of the building, Man Poy, on a charge of permitting the premises to be used for the smoking of opium. A young Chinese, Ah. Yut, was charged with smoking opium. Through Mr. P. Keesing, both accused pleaded guilty. Chief-Detective Lopdell said that the place had been under observation for some time, and it had been suspected that opium was smoked there. It was not a bad case of its kind, however, for the premises were not barricaded, and the police had not experienced much difficulty in getting in. There, was also "the fact that only one Chinese was found smoking opium. Mr. Keesing explained that Man Poy was the guardian of Ah Yut,, who also lived on the premises. In the country from which, the latter had recently come, opium was smoked as a isedative and the young man had got into the habit of taking it. His guardian had tried to break him of the habit, but his efforts were unsuccessful yesterday, when the young man was suffering from pains. Mr. T. B. M'Neil, S.M., fined Man Poy the minimum penalty of £50, and Ah. Yut £12 10s, whichi is also the minimum penalty. . .'