Diamonds, Pearls, Bonds, Cheques In U.S. Mail To Reich

Northern Advocate, 26 January 1940, Page 5

Diamonds, Pearls, Bonds, Cheques In U.S. Mail To Reich

LONDON. January 24.

An official of the Ministry of Economic Warfare stated opinion in the United States regarding the seizure by the British contraband control of contraband in American mails destined for Germany would change if it were realised how Germans in America were using every subterfuge for smuggling to Germany through the American mails. "The number of valuables intercepted demonstrates the necessity for inspection of the mails, against which the United States .is protesting." said the official.

“Of 4462 parcels mailed from America- in a single month, 4063 contained contraband cunningly camouflaged, including industrial diamonds, worth £2,000,000. Bearer Bonds, Cheques “The search has resulted in the seizux-e of - bearer bonds and cheques amounting to 5,000,000 marks, as well as 500,000 dollars, a quantity of sterling and other currencies, and a pearl necklace valued at £BOOO.

“A packet labelled ‘stained glass’ contained high-grade coffee and other luxuries.

“Twenty-five thousand parcels and 6000 letters, mostly from the United States, have been removed from American mails in three months.

"The posting of money and valuables from the United States- to Germany has become highly organised big business, in spite of the British measures."

25,000 “Samples’

In the same period of three months, 25,000 "samples" were seized, containing besides food and. clothing, such items as fats, films, maps and jewellery.

In many cases parcels contained groceries sold by German firms in the United States at prices calculated here to represent about five or six times the actual cost of the contents, against guarantee of delivery to the recipient.

But evidence suggests that such “comforts," when they have evaded the Allied contraband control, rarely if ever reach the intended beneficiaries in Germany, for they are seized by the German Customs.