TRAFFIC IN DRUGS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 11 April 1928, Page 5

TRAFFIC IN DRUGS

GREAT FRENCH TRIAL

SEVENTY-FIVE ACCUSED

PARIS. 25th Match

Alter four years of preparation, the trial has at last been opened of 75 persons. including fashionable women, acttresses. artists. 18 doctors and five chemists, for illicitly Ira flicking in drugs, particularly cocaine. Originally 112 persons were arrested, but 15 have since died and others have been released for various reasons.

Tins Court could only accommodate 50 of the accused and the remainder will ionic up for trial later. Among the accused is an 80-year.old doctor. Only 28 of the accused arc charged with taking drugs. The others are charged with trafficking in them. The usual procedure was to obtain a genuine doctor s certificate for a fictitious malady. In some cases, the doctor had not seen the patient for two years, but lie gave the orders whenever lie. was asked. In other instances, prescriptions were forged, and even chemists’ diplomas were forged. Experts examined 15.000 documents laboriously in order to separate, forgeries fioni genuine documents. This necessitated foreign inquiries. The ease is expected to last, several weeks, but. the authorities hope that. before it concludes. they will track down tin* scandal to ils source. It is believed that the drug gang lias its headquarters in Montmartre. Fourteen leading counsel have been briefed.