SOVIET SPIES IN RUMANIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17234, 14 April 1930, Page 5

SOVIET SPIES IN RUMANIA

SYSTEM UNMASKED POLICE OFFICER IMPLICATED BUCHAREST. -March 3. Considerable official reticence is maiulain'ed concerning the arrest of the high police official," M. Tibai u. on (barges of ••spionage in i he interests of Soviet Russia. But onotigh information is now avnilahlo from private sources to show how efficiently ibe 0.C.1'.U. operated in Rumania. 11l fact, it is embarrassment at the revelation of how they bad been nickel by the Soviet emissaries which is responsible, for the unwillingness of the authorities to speak. As was reported on Kebniary 13, a man was arrested in sensational circumstances while trying to cross the Dniester from Russia to Bessarabia miller cover of a feint attack by Soviet frontier guards. The man. a goodlooking fellow of 25, named Caramano, was recognised at once to bo an important prisoner. Me carried a large number of cypher documents, and was rushed to Kishineff for examination. He soon admitted his work as a. courier of the O.Q.P.U. SECRET COURIER SERVICE. Concerning (he courier system, he said thai 10 men were constantly on the jmovo between Moscow and Bucharest, carrving information and instructions, lie 'inm-eli had held such u post for over 12 months. and made many journeys. Coming from Moscow, the spies were sent by motor car from Odessa, to ibe Dniester. They would be rowed across with muffled oars a moonless, misty night, creep by side ways into Kishineff, and here boldly step aboard the express for Bucharest. In the capital they had only to register al a certain hotel in one of a number of agreed names. The registration form passed with others automatically through the hands of the Director of the Bucharest Siguranza (secret police], M. Tibacu. Thus, simply by virtue of his official post as the limn responsible for watching possible Russian spies in Bucharest, M. Tibacu, in his capacity as bead oi the 0.0.P.U. in Rumania, learned that a messenger from his secret employers awaited him. HIGH OFFICIALS ARRESTED. Tibacu, it- is alleged, would call at the hoto] with a whole dossier of information, complete with such plans, photographs oi letters, documents, and so forth, as might, be required to amplify it. Coder hint worked not only several high ofiiciiils of the Foreign OlKce and Ministry of Interior, but a whole network of'spies extending to every important town in Roumania. Seven high civil servants tire among those arrested in Bucharest as members of the organisation. Caramano's hotel was searched. A black hag deposited there to await his arrival was found to contain photographs of various documents from the archives of the'Ministries of the Interior and of Foreign Affairs. Among them, it is stated, is a highly secret document recently drawn up between Poland and Rumania. M. Tibacu litis had a notable career, notably under the Averescu regimes, when ho held several important posts as Prefect. His last post- was General Superintendent of the Siguranza in Bessarabia— Rumanian's sole defence against Russian espionage. Owing to bis intimate konwledgc of this branch, the sole control of the .Frontier Signraiiza. Bessarabia" was entrusted to liiin when he took office in Bucharest. It was his job here to select, and send out Rumanian secret service men to cross the Dniester into Russia. This he did. But. it is alleged, he informed Moscow of all the details. In every case the doomed men were trapped by the Bolsheviks on landing, fried, and shot without any undue fuss.