LIQUOR SMUGGLING

Evening Star, Issue 21543, 16 October 1933, Page 12

LIQUOR SMUGGLING

FINLAND'S DIFFICULTIES AGREEMENT WITH BRITAIN {British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph--Copyright RUGBY. October 13. The Anglo-Finnish liquor smuggling convention, which follows the general lines of a similar convention concluded in 1924 with the United States, was signed this afternoon at the Foreign Office. The importing of alcoholic liquors into Finland is subject to Government control and monopoly, and during the past seven to eight years smuggling has been taking place on an extensive scale. . Finland concluded with her Baltic neighbours a liquorsmuggling convention in 1925, and a number of other countries have assented to seizure, outside territorial water, of liquor-smuggling ships flying their flags. The League of Nations Council has recommended States to assist Finland in her difficulty over smuggling. There is abundant evidence that tbe immunity from seizure outside territorial waters which is enjoyed by vessels flying British flags is resulting in a number of liquor smugglers of foreign nationality being enabled to engage in the' traffic on a large and increasing scale in ships registered in the United Kingdom. According to Finnish authorities fifteen of thorn are at present actually engaged. Finnish opinion became much exorcised at a continuance of this traffic by international adventurers under the protection of the British flag, and the recent blowing-np of ono of the Finnish coastguard patrol boats has given rise to grave indignation. Under the new convention Finnish Government vessels will bo entitled to stop and, if necessary, arrest vessels Hying the British flag which are suspected of smuggling liquor into Finland.