CARGO PILLAGING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21632, 8 February 1945, Page 6

CARGO PILLAGING

£500,000 YEARLY LOST AUSTRALIAN RACKET LACK OF POLICE BLAMED (10 a.m.) CANBERRA, Feb. 8. The pillaging of ship and rail cargoes in Australia cost about £500.000 a year, according lo an estimate by Treasury officials. Gangs who operate on inter-State vessels are alone responsible for the thefts of goods worth about £150,000 yearly. The racket is on a scale comparable with the prohibition era operations of Chicago’s liquor gangsters. Fantastically high bribes have been offered to the Army provost and watchmen to turn a blind eye to pillaging operations on the wharves. Their refusal has resulted in threats of personal violence, often fulfilled. Special investigators lecommc'-’-ing the measures to check this colossal thievery advocate: Additional police on the wharves; prohibition from the wharves of all persons with criminal records; heavier penalties for pillaging. It is expected that Commonwealth peace officers with wide powers will be given the task of policing the waterfront at all Australian ports. A senior police officer in New South Wales said that man-power must be made available to the police force in order that serious crime might be Lent in check. The shortage of 500 nolice in New South Wales was placing too great a burden upon those officers remaining on duly and the crime situation was likely to get out of hand unless more men were allotted to the force.