REVOLVER DUEL

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1935, Page 8

REVOLVER DUEL

CUSTOMS AND SMUGGLERS EXCITING LORRY CHASE. LONDON, July 0. For the second time within a'month smugglers and Customs officers, fought with revolvers on the Franeo-Belgian frontier. This time the. smugglers took the initiative in using the r revo.vers. Ten men tried to hold up the small post of Customs men at Ri iehe-de-Fer in order to clear the road for three lorries carrying .tobacco. Shots were exchanged, and two of the lorries turned back, but the third rushed past the barrier and made for Lille. The Lille Customs Brigade was warned in time, and the Customs car gave chase to the lorry in the Boulevard Victor Hugo. The smugglers tried to hold up the pursuing car by throwing, bundles of tobacco under its wheels. Seeing this manoeuvre was unsuccessful they poured some, petrol on to their cargo of tobacco, spt it alight, and drove on for some time so as to give the fire a good draught. When the tobacco was well ablaze they left the lorry and ran away, escaping in the darkness. The Customs men in putting out the fire and saving nearly two tons of tobacco. In the Moselle Department French Customs officers held up another car which was trying to run contraband tobacco from the Saar, and captured 12,000 francs worth of tobacco as well as the two smugglers, both of them Frenchmen.