SMUGGLERS BUSY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12077, 17 October 1933, Page 5

SMUGGLERS BUSY

LIQUOR BROUGHT INTO FINLAND.

OPERATIONS’ ON LARGE SCALE

BRITAIN SIGNS CONVENTION

(British Official Wireless.;

RUGBY, Oct. 15

The Anglo-Finnish liquor smuggling convention, which follows the general lines of tv similar convention, concluded in 1924 with the United States, was signed on Friday at the Foreign Office.

The import of alcoholic liquors into Finland is subject to Government control and monopoly, and during the past seven to eight yeans smuggling has been taking place on a n extensive scale.

Finland concluded with nor Baltic neighbours a liquor smuggling convention in 1925, and a number of other countries have assented to the seizure outside territorial water's liquor-smuggling ships flying their flags. The League of Nations Council has recommended States to assistFinland in her difficulty over smuggling.

There- is abundant evidence that immunity from seizure outside territorial waters enjoyed by vessels flying the British flag 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 England. According to the Finnish authorities, 15 of them are at present actually engaged. Finnish opinion been me much exercised at the continuance of this traffic by international adventurers under the protection of the British flag, and the recent blowing up 0ono of th© Finnish coast-guard patrol boats has given, rise to grave indignation.

Under the new convention, Finnish Government vessels wilj he entitled to stop, and if necessary, arrest vessels flying the British flag which are suspected of smuggling liquo.i-. into Finland.