E 8
The Philippines (Manila).
Enquiries resulting from three large seizures of opium and dangerous drugs revealed the huge extent of the trade in prepared opium between Macau, China, and the Philippine Islands. Large quantities have been imported from Macau already packed up with other goods and only transhipped in Hong Kong. In one case, three mail bags belonging to the U.S.A. Post Office were seized in the General Post Office, the whole of the contents proved to be prepared opium and drugs, investigations proved that employees in the General Post Office both here and in Manila had been suborned, and that the parcel post had been extensively used for the conveyance of prepared opium and drugs. Evidence was also found pointing to a large trade in morphia pills between Amoy, and Manila and Cebu. Frequent references were found in documents discovered to the aid rendered by employees of the Post Office and Customs in the Islands in aiding the introduction of opium and drugs. A very large number of names and addresses of opium and drug importers were discovered and the information was at once passed on to the U.S. authorities. In one case, a series of letters from smugglers in the Philippines was intercepted mentioning large consignments of opium; during a period of two weeks only, mention was made of orders for 31,300 taels of opium. It was always realised that the traffic in opium with the Philippines was on an extensive scale, but the actual extent judged from the investigations of three firms of smugglers only far surpassed all expectations. If most of this opium was consumed in the Islands then it must be assumed that the consumption of opium by the Chinese population must be taken to be at least as great as it is in this Colony, and that the suppression of opium there has only meant the transference of the trade to underground channels and consequent widespread corruption. These facts seem to prove the impossibility of suppression while supplies continue abundant, and the demand remains unabated. The origin of this opium is Macau (and Kwong Chow Wan to some extent), for the best grades, Kwong Chow Wan and Amoy for the inferior grades. Amoy has supplied more and more of the inferior grades at a very cheap price. Whereas in former years the demand from the Islands was for the best brand of Macau opium, recently, while supplies of Macau opium have probably not decreased, a large amount of inferior prepared opium of Chinese origin has been entering. One method of smuggling was discovered here; goods were purchased locally and packed into cases, these were sent off to a junk in the harbour together with some empty cases, the prepared opium was then brought from another junk, some of the goods taken out and the opium packed in the cases with the goods. The cases, after being fastened up, were then taken off to a ship about to leave for Cebu, and shipped as cargo in the usual way, special stowage having been arranged with the connivance of the stevedores.
E 8
The Philippines (Manila).
Enquiries resulting from three large seizures of opium and dangerous drugs revealed the huge extent of the trade in pre- pared opium between Macau, China, and the Philippine Islands. Large quantities have been imported from Macau already packed up with other goods and only transhipped in Hong Kong. In one case, three mail bags belonging to the U.S.A. Post Office were seized in the General Post Office, the whole of the contents proved to be prepared opium and drugs, investigations proved that employees in the General Post Office both here and in Manila had been suborned, and that the parcel post had been extensively used for the conveyance of prepared opium and drugs. Evidence was also found pointing to a large trade in morphia pills between Amoy, and Manila and Cebu. Frequent references were found in documents discovered to the aid ren- dered by employees of the Post Office and Customs in the Islands in aiding the introduction of opium and drugs. A very large number of names and addresses of opium and drug importers were discovered and the information was at once passed on to the U.S. authorities. In one case, a series of letters from smugglers in the Philippines was intercepted mentioning large consignments of opium; during a period of two weeks only, mention was made of orders for 31,300 taels of opium. It was always realised that the traffic in opium with the Philippines was on an extensive scale, but the actual extent judged from the in- vestigations of three firms of smugglers only far surpassed all expectations. If most of this opium was consumed in the Is- lands then it must be assumed that the consumption of opium by the Chinese population must be taken to be at least as great as it is in this Colony, and that the suppression of opium there has only meant the transference of the trade to underground channels and consequent widespread corruption. These facts seem to prove the impossibility of suppression while supplies continue abundant, and the demand remains unabated. The origin of this opium is Macau (and Kwong Chow Wan to some extent), for the best grades, Kwong Chow Wan and Amoy for the inferior grades. Amoy has supplied more and more of the inferior grades at a very cheap price. Whereas in former years the demand from the Islands was for the best brand of Macau opium, recently, while supplies of Macau opium have probably not decreased, a large amount of inferior prepared opium of Chinese origin has been entering. One method of smuggling was discovered here; goods were purchased locally and packed into cases, these were sent off to a junk in the harbour together with some empty cases, the prepared opium was then brought from another junk, some of the goods taken out and the opium packed in the cases with the goods. the cases after being fastened up were then taken off to a shin about to leave for Cebu. and shipped as cargo in the usual way, special stowage having been arranged with the connivance of the stevedores.
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