21. Another case which involved a much smaller amount of opium is interesting, because, for once, it was not only small fry who were caught in the revenue. On this occasion, a small junk was discovered cruising without lights in the vicinity of a steamer which was due to leave for Singapore. The revenue launch stopped and challenged the junk and proceeded to draw alongside. It was, fortunately enough, a moonlight morning, and the revenue officers observed a hurried attempt by the several occupants of the other boat to dump heavy cases into the harbour by means of rollers and buoys. The attempt was frustrated and six males were arrested with 900 taels of opium. One of the males happened to be an individual, long suspected of great smuggling activity, who had forgotten to take the usual precautions of keeping himself in the background. The opium in this case was destined for export to Singapore.
22. Later in the year, two or three seizures were made in passengers' baggage on "Empress" boats, under circumstances which indicated that the opium was going to Shanghai in order to obtain the high prices ruling there on account of the general shortage of opium in the Far East.
23. Persian Raw Opium. There were very few seizures of Iranian raw opium during the year, and only 2,009 taels in all were discovered. This was a decrease in comparison with former years. It is probably due to the fact that a new and lower scale of rewards was instituted in 1937, and informers seem to be unwilling to divulge information at the lower rate. Practically all of the Iranian raw opium which comes into Hong Kong is for transhipment to Java, the Straits, etc., and it is possible that informers are now dealing direct with the authorities concerned from whom they probably obtain better rewards.
24. Prepared Opium. There has been an extraordinary decrease in the amount of prepared opium discovered during the year, and only 12,758 taels were seized, in comparison with 31,979 taels in the previous year.
One explanation of the decrease—reduction of rewards paid to informers—has already been mentioned. The other explanation allows no remedy by this department.
Although most of the opium is brought to the Colony by ships operating between Kwong Chow Wan, Macau and Hong Kong, the methods adopted by the smugglers are very difficult to combat. The opium is usually dumped outside Hong Kong waters at rendezvous which are changed on each occasion, and it is then parcelled out amongst junks, which, at dead of night and by circuitous routes, finally succeed in landing their cargoes.
25. One seizure of 2,068 taels of Red Lion opium is interesting. A small junk with wooden cases aboard was seen to be operating in a suspicious manner, and revenue officers proceeded to examine it, but before they could do so the cases were dumped. Eventually they were retrieved and four cases marked "Oyster Sauce" and two cases marked "Shrimp Paste" were seized. The junk had come from Macau and all the circumstances indicate that the opium had been exported from Macau.
26. Opium Divans. During the year 746 opium divans were raided. Of this number 486 were in Kowloon. There is reason to believe that opium divan keeping is more highly organised than ever before. Recently a system of syndicates renting several floors under fictitious names has developed. Each floor is then put under a keeper who, for a very small wage, takes full responsibility and is prepared to assert that he is the principal tenant. It is estimated that there are over 2,000 such divans in the Colony, and although during the year over 700 keepers have gone to prison, economic circumstances render it very easy to find another dupe to serve. It is impossible to arrest smokers because there would be insufficient gaol space in the Colony to house these people.
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21. Another case which involved a much smaller amount of opium is interest- ing, because, for once, it was not only small fry who were caught in the revenue On this occasion, a small junk was discovered cruising without lights in the vicinity of a steamer which was due to leave for Singapore. The revenue launch stopped and challenged the junk and proceeded to draw alongside. It was, fortunately enough, a moonlight morning, and the revenue officers observed hurried attempt by the several occupants of the other boat to dump heavy cases into the harbour by means of rollers and buoys. The attempt was frustrated and six males were arrested with 900 taels of opium. One of the males happened to be an individual, long suspected of great smuggling activity, who had forgotten to take the usual precautions of keeping himself in the background. The opium in this case was destined for export to Singapore.
22. Later in the year, two or three seizures were made in passengers' baggage on "Empress" boats, under circumstances which indicated that the opium was going to Shanghai in order to obtain the high prices ruling there on account of the general shortage of opium in the Far East.
23. Persian Raw Opium. There were very few seizures of Iranian raw opium during the year, and only 2,009 taels in all were discovered. This was a decrease in comparison with former years. It is probably due to the fact that a new and lower scale of rewards was instituted in 1937, and informers seem to be unwilling to divulge information at the lower rate. Practically all of the Iranian raw opium which comes into Hong Kong is for transhipment to Java, the Straits, etc., and it is possible that informers are now dealing direct with the authorities concerned from whom they probably obtain better rewards.
24. Prepared Opium. There has been an extraordinary decrease in the amount of prepared opium discovered during the year, and only 12,758 taels were seized, in comparison with 31,979 taels in the previous year.
One explanation of the decrease-reduction of rewards paid to informers-has already been mentioned. The other explanation allows no remedy by this depart-
ment.
Although most of the opium is brought to the Colony by ships operating between Kwong Chow Wan, Macau and Hong Kong, the methods adopted by the smugglers are very difficult to combat. The opium is usually dumped outside Hong Kong waters at rendezvous which are changed on each occasion, and it is then parcelled out amongst junks, which, at dead of night and by circuitous routes, finally succeed in landing their cargoes.
25. One seizure of 2,068 taels of Red Lion opium is interesting. A small junk with wooden cases aboard was seen to be operating in a suspicious manner, and revenue officers proceeded to examine it, but before they could do so the were dumped. Eventually they were retrieved and four cases marked "Oyster Sauce" and two cases marked "Shrimp Paste" were seized. The junk had come from Macau and all the circumstances indicate that the opium had been exported from Macau.
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26. Opium Divans. During the year 746 opium divans were raided. this number 486 were in Kowloon. There is reason to believe that opium divan keeping is more highly organised than ever before. Recently a system of syndicates renting several floors under. fictitious names has developed. Each floor is then put under a keeper who, for a very small wage, takes full responsibility and is prepared to assert that he is the principal tenant. It is estimated that there are over 2,000 such divans in the Colony, and although during the year over 700 keepers have gone to prison, economic circumstances render it very easy to find another dupe to serve. It is impossible to arrest smokers because there would be insufficient gaol space in the Colony to house these people.
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