TRAFFIC IN DRUGS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19031, 3 June 1936, Page 3

TRAFFIC IN DRUGS

AUSTRALIAN ACTIVITY TWO AiKX HEAVILY PINED SYDNFY, May 10. At Goiillwrn Police Court, Charlie King, 69. II Chinese, and Charles .lames Lon^hoi((.in. 62. who was said lo be liis chauffeur, were lined £2OO and £!10C respectively, when they pleaded guilty lo having had prepared opium in theii possession, at Coulburn, on April 15. The alternative in King's ease was 4CO davs' imprisonment, and'in Longhbttom s case 200 davs, A third man, (ieorge Quigly, a Chinese, was discharged, the police having no evidence to offer. The men were arrested on Governor's Hill, overlooking Goulburn, their ear being stopped when travelling south from Sydney. 'Detective I'.odel said that king was carrying on u Chinese herbal business al Lonsdale street, Melbourne, and had a very extensive clientele all over \ icLoria, and the greater part ol" New .South Wales. King and Longboltom. who said he bad been in King's employ for 15 years, visited Sydney, and were returning to Melbourne when they were intercepted. There were six suitcases, in the ear. one of which contained 24 tins o opium. In a suitcase subsequently claimed 'by King was found an elaborate opium smoking outfit, also a large quantity of prepared opium. In an aperture at the rear of the back seat brown paper parcels were* found, of which neither ol the. men claimed ownership. They contained 46 tins and 24 tins of opium. Detective-Sergeant Thompson said that he was instructed by the Commissioner of Police and the officer in charge ot the Drue; Bureau to emphasise the; seriousness of interstate smuggling., there was 110 doubt, he declared, that l\ing v,as the ringleader in the deal, and that T.on«hotlom was acting in league with him. When Customs vigilance appeared to he concentrated at one port the drug wa« landed in. another State, and ll appeared that in this case it had been landed in Sydney because ol the vigilance in M'clliourne. I An appeal for lime to pay was reinsert.|