OPIUM DEN RAIDED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21782, 23 April 1934, Page 12

OPIUM DEN RAIDED

POLICE FORCE- ENTRY THREE CHINESE FINED £25 Tl.ree Chinese who were arrested late on Friday night by Detectives Brady, Beltrn and Gillura appeared before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Police Couit on Saturday, charged with having prepared opium in their possession. The accused men, Chin Kong, aged 32, Wong So, aged 31, and Ah Wee, aged 28, svere rot represented by counsel. The offence was admitted. Senior-Detective Hall stated the detectives raided premises at 75 Nelson Stree it, City. The house was of two storeys, and a. basement made three floor:! at the back. Detectives Brady and Gillum went to a side door of the basement, Jind, on ringing a bell which was fitted there, they heard a commotion upsliairs. The detectives forced the door and, inside, they found that a heavy trapdoor barred access to the top floor, One Chinese escaped through a window, and, after jumping 20ft. to the grottad, he climbed over the back Upon demand, the trapdoor was raised by cne of the occupants, and it was found that a room had been fitted for opium smoking. Three Chinese came out of the room/ which smelt strongly of opium, and in which there were rush mats and hnad rests. The window of the room and that-in the adjoining room were barrec . Lamps and pipes and two full tins ol- "seconds" were found, whilo, hidden in a. chimney, there was a tin containing packages of prepared opium. . . The-accused were fined £25 each, in default two months' imprisonment, by the magistrate, who said opium smokers ooulc not ikeep away from the drug. He thodght there should be some place where they could be sent for perhaps 12 monlhs in order to get the effects of iihe drug out of their system. Their relatives usually paid the fines, and the men went free. If they -went to gaol, the country had to keep them.