CO129-438 - Public Offices - 1916 — Page 48

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Copy of a dend-official letter Ko. 11938, dated Calculle, the 1st December 1915, from E.G.Laird-MacGregor, Esquire, I.C.S., Collector of Customs, Calcutta, to

5.H. Slater Esquire, I.C.S., Under Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Commerce and Industry,

Delhi,

I do not know whether this story can lead to anything or not. Yesterday a fireman was searched when leaving the jetties ex 8.8. "Huntsman" and 1 oz cocaine was found in his possession. On being questioned he stated that his ship had been docked in the Harrison Dock, Liverpool, and that he bought the cocaine, as requested to do by somebody out here, at a small Chemists' shop near Palace Market for 20/s. The price of 1 oz cocaine in England is about 12/s. and the fact that the man paid 20/s. rather goes to show that the chemist had no right to sell it. I do not know whether cocaine comes under the Poisons Act in England or what restrictions there are on its sale, but it might be possible to identify this shop, as chemists shops in the neighbourhood of Docks are not generally very numerous and it might be possible to put the Excise authorities in Liverpool on the track.

TRUE COPY.

(sd.)

Assistant in Charge,

Department of Commerce and Industry.