OPIUM TRAFFICKER FINED £50

Southland Times, Issue 23181, 23 April 1937, Page 12

OPIUM TRAFFICKER FINED £50

ACTING AS AGENT (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, April 21. “It is obvious that this man has acted as an agent for some other man,” said Mr W. R. McKean, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court when sentencing Chong An, aged 32 years, a "fruiterer, on a charge of having prepared opium in his possession on April 3. It was stated by Detective Sergeant McHugh that accused, who pleaded guilty, was an opium trafficker. For accused Mr Tong said he was acting as an agent of a European, who had chosen Chong to do such work because he was unable to work through poor health, and because he was an opium addict. The police stated that note books with Chinese writing in them showed that from February 5, 1937, to April 2 accused had purchased 13 tins of opium at £ll a tin. From February 11 to March 31 his sales came to £154. Accused had been convicted twice previously on charges of smoking opium. He was an opium trafficker whom the police were glad to have arrested. Had it not been for such men there would have been only half the number of men brought before the Court on opium smoking charges. Detective Sergeant McHugh said responsible Chinese of the city were making every endeavour to assist the police to suppress opium smoking. “It is obvious that this man has acted as an agent of some other man,” said the magistrate, “and if his principal was before the Court he would be fined more heavily.” Accused was convicted and fined £5O.