OPIUM SMUGGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3757, 16 March 1926, Page 16

OPIUM SMUGGLING.

CHINESE TRICKSTERS. (From Ocr Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY. March 5. Many have been the methods devised by Chinese smugglers of opium into Australia of getting their contraband past the eyoa of the vigilant Customs officers. That they sometimes succeed is tribute to their ingeniousnesa rather than slackness on the officials' part. But they failed in thoir latest and most amazing fell erne to land the drug in Sydney. When the steamer St. Albans arrived in Sydney last week, the usual thorough •earcli was made for contraband. No •pium was discovered, but by some means

suspicion was roused, just as the search was ending, in the freezing chamber of the steamer. The attention of the searchers was attracted by what appeared an outsize in fore-quarters of beef. Touch E roved it to be stitfer than meat should e, and when it was prodded by steel skewers, it made a sound that does not usually emanate from dead cattle. On examination it was revealed that the hessian package posing as a forequarter of beef c tained not meat, but tins of choicest onium, so constructed as to resemble meat. Other real carcases, it was found, had been ripped open, and stuffed with the same drug. In all 107 tins of opium, valued at £2OOO, were seized. Each of the tins contained half u pound of the drug. An inquiry was at once instituted aboard the ship, but all the diligent cross examination of the Chinese crew failed to

produce any more incriminating answer than “No savvy.”