VAST CONCERN

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 August 1936, Page 9

VAST CONCERN

DRUG GANG TRAILED

A gigantic international traffic in opium and other drugs on an exceptionally large scale has been discovered as. the result of the arrest in France of an officer in the mercantile marine, who is' said to be the brain behind the organisation.

Bourges, in the South of France, is said to be the headquarters of the gang. The arrested seaman arranged with agents not only all over France, bur in England, Germany. Belgium and other countries, for the handling of supplies of opium and other drugs lie had been receiving from a secret source in the East on a scale never before attempted. After questioning the officer implicated, the Bourges examining magistrate authorised the arrest of 14 other individuals, including two Englishmen and an Englishwoman, whom the police are searching in the underworld of Paris, Marseilles and in other parts of France. Names and addresses of agents operating in Britain, Germany and Belgium have been btained and will be furnished to the police of those countries, who are being asked to assist the French Surete Generale in probing the affair thoroughly.

The opium is carried by air, sea 01 land by means of specially-construct-ed trunks and suitcases provided with secret compartments.

An army of couriers, including many women, are stated to be employed by the organisation. Many of the agents who sell the opium in the night resorts of London, Paris, Berlin and Brussels are women.

The magnitude of the traffic can be deduced from the fact that the banking account traced in Paris alone, for the use of the organisation, runs into many thousands of pounds.