SMUGGLING DODGES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15128, 24 January 1917, Page 5

SMUGGLING DODGES.

TIN LABELLED SEAWEED, In connection with the pending controversy in Scandinavian countries over British blockade measures, I have made inquiries both here and in Copenhagen (writes the Stockholm correspondent of the Exchange), and obtained some instructive facts as to the widespread smuggling which, ;n spite of severe repressive laws, is still going on. In both Denmark and Sweden, from —which countries the chief smuggling to Germany goes on, the penalties are very severe. In Denmark, during the last seven months, fines amounting to £300,000 have been imposed, and under the new law passed last spring there have been heavy sentences of imprisonment. Sweden, for a single offence of re-export of imported goods on her export prohibition list, lately imposed penalties amounting to nearly £30,000. Threats of such penalties do not deter the smugglers. In Denmark hardly a day passes without a prosecution and Press exposures, and as it is certain that only a small fraction, of attempts to smuggle out are detected, it follows that the total number of cases of smuggling is very large. RUBBER DESCRIBED AS HERs RING. Most of the smuggling is done by false description. A typical case is that of Herr Hans Voight, a German merchant in a big way of business in Copenhagen, who, with three accomplices, has been convicted of smuggling out 60,000 lbs of rubber. The rubber was sealed in herring tins and described as herrings. Each of the four was sentenced 'to 120 days’ imprisonment, and the whole four collectively are pronounced liable to repay to the 400,000 crowns. It is believed in some quarters that Germany pays such fines, and that this explains why they do not act as a deterrent The present most sensational case of this character is the Hoejslev rCase, in Jutland. In this, twenty Danes are implicate's. Ten are under arrest, and sufficient confessions have already been made to show that hundreds of thousands of crowns worth of export-forbidden goods have been systematically exported to Germany during the past months. The goods-went partly disguised as seaweed and partly disguised as other products not on the prohibition list. The first store seized consisted of tin, and it was found on railway premises, hidden* under seaweed. In country houses and farms arouiid were found more tin, also cocoa, rubber, anad many other products. The prosecution is stated not to have yet unearthed who was the head of this big smuggling .organisation. The smugglers are said systematically to deceive their' German clients, selling them inferior and unusable goods, and even in some cases playing on • them the same trick which they have played on their own Customs authorities, and giving them a false description of the contents of cases and bales.”