MAN-HUNT BY AIR

Waipa Post, Volume 47, Issue 3384, 24 October 1933, Page 2

MAN-HUNT BY AIR

INTERNATIONAL FORGERS

Scotland Yard’s most spectacular 'man hunt ended in the discovery of 'an international gang of alleged ‘bank-note forgers and the confiscation of a printing press and notes Valued at thousands of pounds which can only be distinguished from the genuine by scientific tests. Six men alleged to have been connected with the forgeries have been arrested. Four more arrests are expected. This is Scotland Yard’s most sensational coup. Specially-selected 'men from the Yard for weeks cooperated with the police from Berlin, Paris, Vienna, The Hague and 'Amsterdam in the search for foi*gers of bank notes of large denomination, including those of the Bank of England. Three men were arrested at the request of Scotland Yard by the Dutch police. Thee more were arrested in Germany. The four arrests to be made ai*e also expected to take place in Germany. Forged Bank of England £lO notes of a face value of more than £20,000 have bden recovered by Scotland Yard.

Bank of England experts, shown 'samples of these notes, could not 'detect them at first. Later they distinguished them from genuine notes by making scientific tests. These forgeries were first discovei--ed by Bank of England experts when 'the notes were returned in the 'ordinary way of Continental banks. The bank asked Scotland Yard to trace the forgers.

Supei-intendent Horwell, instructed by Mr Norman Kendal, assistant commissioner, took charge of the investigation. He at once reached the conclusion that the notes were being printed abroad. Selected senior officers, each an 'expert in disguise, and speaking two or more languages, combed 1 the Continent. Officers flew from London to Amsterdam and Berlin during the search. Aeroplanes were also 'chartered for trans-Continental journeys. The first arrests were made after 'Scotland Yard officers had made a dramatic flight from Croydon to Amsterdam by night. A Dutchman and a Russian were arrested, and 'were alleged to have forged notes 'valued at more than £5200 in their possession. ,

•Brilliant detective work by Superintendent Horwell and other Yard inen, aided by a new system of international police co-operation recently instituted led to the discovery of the headquarters of a gang in Germany, the location of a printing press, engravings, and paper.