HUGE SMUGGLING RING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26980, 15 January 1949, Page 7

HUGE SMUGGLING RING

OPERATIONS IN AUSTRIA ARMS BELIEVED PURCHASED FOR PALESTINE NZPA—Reuter—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. VIENNA, Jan. 14. The Austrian police have issued warrants for the arrest for smuggling of three men, said to be associates of Bruno Seletzky, described as “ The Basil Zaharoff of South-east Europe.” The warrants follow the recent allegations that a widespread international organisation has been engaged in taking high-priced goods into Austria disguised as gift parcels for displaced persons. The money secured from the sales of these goods is said to have been used to buy arms for Palestine. It is now alleged that Continental planes have been used to fly some of these goods to Budapest, which is the clearing centre for smuggling, and that these planes have been given a clearance through Vienna by Russian authorities. The warrants are for the arrest of Ilie Ciuraru, David Weidenfeld, and Dr Sache Klein, all of Rumanian birth, but. of Austrian nationality. .It is understood, that Weidenfeld is now in Paris and that Ciuraru arid Klein, as well as Seletzky,. are in Czechoslovakia.. Seletzky is also wanted by the Austrian police. He was born in Poland and has been described as “ one of the best-known illicit dealers in arms in South-east Europe.” Five days ago five other men were arrested in Vienna and accused of utilising the Austrian firm of Hoffnung to bring into Austria gift parcels for sale so that proceeds could be used to purchase arms for Palestine. Recently, 10 flights of Continental sirlines passed through Vienna for Budapest. 'lt has been discovered that each flight carried 2,000,000 American cigarettes which were loaded in Brussels. ' The international police believe that Jewish agents in Budapest, to whom the cigarettes were addressed, and who were formerly engaged in smuggling recruits to the Jewish forces in Palestine, are now engaged in buying and transporting arms to Palestine. Most of the arms are known to have come from the Czechoslovak Skoda works, but some came from Italy.