THE CHINA MAIL APRIL 30, 1938.
$1,000,000 WORTH OF DRUG SEIZED IN SHA'I SINCE JANUARY
dis-
Reflecting the widespread opium | HEROIN MORPHINE RE-APPEAR
Heroin smuggling activity now taking place
and morphine, opium in Shanghai is the amazing fact derivatives which practically that more than $1,000,000 worth of appeared from the market during narcotics, mostly raw opium, has the heavy fighting last autumn, been seized in Shanghai since the beginning of the current year, says
the "China Press."
have commenced to re-appear in substantial quantities. Only a few small seizures have been made to The majority of seizures have date but these have been sufficient been made by the Chinese Mari- to indicate that the stuff is back times Customs authorities. The on the market and that frade in value of raw opium taken from both drugs can be expected to in- aboard incoming steamers is esti- crease from this time onward. mated at approximately $800,000. Opium now entering the city is Although the activities of the coming largely from two points, Customs or harbor police have been namely Chinwangtao in the north kept secret as much as possible, and Swatow in the south. Owing it is learned that officers of this to its high price, very little Per- force are kept constantly busysian opium is being handled. searching steamers arriving from both northern and southern ports.
FREQUENT SEIZURES Seizures have become common- place affairs. Many of those that are made never find the light of day in the columns of the local press, so closely are the activities of the harbour authorities kept secret.
Under existing regulations, it is maintained that they are not per- mitted to issue press reports the seizures they make, either opium
or any other kind
CIR
Jehol opium, the kind being smuggled from Chinwangtao to Shanghai, is the cheapest on the market at the present time, selling for $11 an ounce by the local re- tailer. The price at Chimwangtao is $4.50
gives both the smuggler and the per ounce a figure that
retailer sufficient margins for good profits.
to
SWATOW OPIUM HIGHER Opium brought in from South China, most of which is said come from Swatow, is retailing at Largest seizure of the year was $16 per ounce. Despite this differ- made aboard Ĉ Butterfield and ence in price between the northern Swire vessel two months ago while and southern products, the sale of the craft was tied up at the French Jehol opium is reported to be con- Bund. Almost one-ton of raw siderably less than the goods from opium. now believed to have been the south. loaded at Swatow, was taken. The value was more than a quarter of million local dollars.
Several other large seizures have been made since then, some of them passing the $100,000-mark. Small seizures in which a few thousand dollars worth of the drug are seized are almost daily events.
Only opium smokers with plenty of money can afford the Persian variety, which is now retailing in Shanghai for no less than $40 per
eunce.
Heroin is selling for $100 per ounce while morphine is bringing about the same price. Hence; an average seizure of these two drugs is likely to run into considerable
The value of narcoties seized by money. the International Settlement police since the first of the current year is estimated at $50,000. Although
the aggregate is large, practically LEPROSY
all seizures made by officers attach-
ed to the narcotic suppression for- INCREASE
ces of the Shanghai Municipal Po-
lice have been small.
$14,000 THIS MONTH The present month promises to
be the most active
Settlement
IN CHINA
World's Experts Meet
A conferefice of the Internation- police engaged in anti-narcotic work al Leprosy Association, which has have had since the beginning of opened in Cairo is expected to bring the year. Judging from the re- great advances in the treatment of cords of cases which have passed leprosy throughout the world. through the First Special District
During the 10 days' meeting more Court, the value of drugs seized in than 200 delegates from every coun- the Settlement since the beginning try in the world will discuss mat- of the month is about $14,000. ters relevant to the prevention and In the French Concession, the possible cure of the disease. Re- value of seizures has been much presenting the British Empire Le- larger than in the. Settlement. Here, prosy Relief Association is Dr. it is estimated, that more than Ernest Muir, the association's secre- $150,000 worth of narcotics have tary and the greatest leprologist in been taken by French detectives England.
QUEENS & ALHAMBRA
HONG KO
AT 230-515-
and uniformed officers since Janu Dr. Charles Flandin, a French de- ay 1 The reason for this, of legate at the meetings, stated in course, is the fact that more at-Le Journal that leprosy was an tempts have been made by smug-the increase. He drew attention to glers to bring opium cargo from the numbers of lepers in Paris and ships anchoring off the French Bund to the fact that leprosy could be than via the Settlement Bund contracted in Paris by people who
Despite the vigilance of the au- had never left the city. thorities in their fight against A British authority said: "Up- Sopium smuggling, large quantities less relief measures are taken le- 2of the drug are being brought into prosy can only increase. Measures the city. While no accurate figures are being taken by various organi- are available, it is estimated that sations, but in China, Africa, and for every ounce seized, at least five generally through the equatorial ouncer safely reach the hands of belt leprosy is definitely on the the local dealers. If anything, this increase.” calculation is on the conservative side,
In Paris and London, he added, the number of lepers was negligible,
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