THE OPIUM SMUGGLERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 65, 31 October 1911, Page 2

THE OPIUM SMUGGLERS.

SEAIICIIING ON SHIPS

DODGES THAT HAVE FAILED

Possibly it was the tactics of opium smugglers that, gave the Chinese Midi a reputation in Australia “for ways that arc dark/’ remarks a Sydney exchange. Hetwocu the opium smuggler and the Customs Dinners there is waged an incessant battle of wits. Sometimes the Customs searchers make a good haul. At other times the Chinese smuggler lias had occasion to smile very broadly. But taking it by and largo the opium smuggler inis a hard time of it nowadays. His tricks aro nearly all worked out, the Customs officers are becoming as clever at the game as he is. r ihe finest testimonials that the Customs officers can have as to their axpertr.ess in detecting smuggled opium is protided in the tacit mat the price of the drug has been nearly trebled in the hist two years. lue police assert that there is no opium-smoking divan in Sydney. There are none open to tiro ordinary foreigner—so in a great measure Hie law lias effected its purpose. Australia is waiting with complacency for tlie full aconipiishnieiit of a Vviiito Australia, and in the meantime it has no wish to see the vices of the East introduced Into this southern continent. A glance at the convictions secured against opium smugglers in Sydney recalls the ingenious methods they have at various times resorted to. there was an old launch that was at various intervals—synchronising wonderfully with the arrival of steamers fi sin Oil ina—chartered for fishing excursions to the Sydney Heads. That fishing party never supplied the press with a statement of their eaten tor the encouragement of other followers of Isaak Walton. Doubtless, however they found.their lisliing grounds eminently satisfactory, as they returned there again and again. .But “from information received” the authorities made the old steam launch the cynosure of many eyes peering through telescopes. Then there was a rush to capture that launch, and, despite an attempt to scurry away, she was caught. The story was simple. The opium was thrown overboard from the incoming steamer, and the launch had merely to pick up the float which was attached to it and then steam hack into tiie harbour, with the hundreds of pounds’ worth of drug none the worse for its consignment to the waters. Casting bread upon the waters w;a; never so profitable as tin's game. On some occasion,s opium has been introduced into Sydney in the middle of a bag of rice. As the bags run forty to the ton of vice, it was considered a good sporting risk to send a few tins of opium in a single bag. If the opium was undetected, the profit paid, for the cost of several tons of rice. And to give John Chinaman ■iis due—lie is a good sport. Hut nowadays tin* Customs officials have lilac!-; marks registered against the names of firms that have had the ’‘inic.;'tui;“’’ io have introduced rice into the State into which someone in China had carelessly—but of course inadvertently—dropped a few tins of opium. The “misfortune” refers to discovery by the lynx-eyed Customs men.—not to the inadvertence. Accordingly some consignments of rice ire “skewered” with great care, while in Cc case of others the sharp steel ■Ad is infro'luc'd into only one or two of t;.e bags. After a time, the Customs officials become experts in Chinese good;—.particularly in medicines, for v.liich Hie name legion sboidd be car-marked. kills for truly slarHiug purposes are largely imported, and but for the eternal vigilence of the Customs officers, opium .would foul e; c-.sy entrance by this eliaum']. i'be hollow bamboo in i»ia- many articles ml bamboo femifure imported from •’‘mim has ceased to lu- a popular vohli'.o ior opium smuggling, as this dodge was overdone.