AN OPIUM RAID

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 215, 10 September 1937, Page 8

AN OPIUM RAID

POLICE BREAK BARRICADES WINDOWS AND DOORS BARRED [ Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Sept. 9. Chopping their way through a heavily barricaded window on the second storey of a building in Grey's Avenue on Wednesday night, detectives entered the premises and seized a quantity of prepared opium, opium seconds and pipes. The detectives, who climbed a ladder placed on to the verandah in front of the building, had considerable difficulty in entering. The window was barred inside with inch planking backed with three uprights and four ?ross-pieces of three-inch by two-inch limber, reinforced with wire. A hole was cut and one detective went and opened the door for the others. The doors were all reinforced on the inside.

As a result of the raid, six Chinese appeared in the Police Court before Mr Wyvern Wilson. S.M. Five of them —Gin On, laundryman, Wong Mow, aged 38. Ah Lee, gardener, aged 25, Ah Sai, gardener, aged 45, and Shim Lind—pleaded guilty to charges of being found on the premises for the purpose of smoking opium. “The premises are well known and have figured in Court before." said the magistrate. The place was barricaded and they knew the risk they were running.

Gin On and Wong Mow, who had been before the Court previously, were each fined £2O and costs. Ah Lee, Ah Sai and Shim Lind were each fined £l2 10s and costs. Stanley Chin Horne, laundryman. aged 47, was charged with permitting the premises to be used for the smoking of opium and with being found in possession of prepared opium. He was remanded, bail being fixed at £lOO.