CO129-470 - Public Offices - 1921 — Page 125

24

ANNEX 8.

Mr. Brander (Excise Commissioner Burma), to the Secretary to the Financial Commissioner, Burma.

June 24, 1920. WITH reference to the correspondence forwarded with this office endorsement, dated the 17th May, 1920, on the subject of opium smuggling into Siam, I have the honour to submit a copy of letter, dated the 12th June, 1920, received from the Commissioner, Tenasserim Division. From my own local acquaintance with the four districts of Mergui, Tavoy, Amherst and Thaton, I have no doubt that the Deputy Commissioners' reports are correct. Possibly some opium may come from the Southern Shan States through part of the Salween and Thaton Districts into Siam, but the amount is very small and we are doing all we can to prevent it.

The whole question hinges on the policy Government proposes to adopt in the Shan States. Control of cultivation there means that the source of supply is cut off and we can then more easily and effectively deal with all that comes in by the ports from India.

Burma.

Commissioner of the Tenasserim Division, Moulmein, to the Excise Commissioner,

June 12, 1920. IN reply to your letter dated the 30th April, 1920, I have the honour to say that it would not appear that any special measures are needed to suppress opium traffic between the districts of this division and Siam.

2. The Deputy Commissioners who were consulted report as follows:— Amherst. Very little smuggling between the district and Siam, and no special measures needed. Poppy is not grown in the district.

Mergui The same.

Thaton-The only special measure indicated is watching the most likely route from the Pa-an sub-division into Siam by means of a special patrol. The Deputy Commissioner does not suggest that there is much smuggling.

Tatoy. Mr. Fogarty reports as follows:-

So far as this district is concerned it is believed that no such traffic exists. There is little smuggling of opium into Tavoy from India or elsewhere, and the small supplies of illicit opium and of licit opium disposed of illicitly are easily absorbed by the illicit demand, within the district. I do not know what demand exists for opium in the Siamese districts adjacent to Tavoy, but, however great it may be, I cannot imagine that an illicit dealer in opium would undertake the toifsome and risky journey to the frontier when a profitable market was available

at his hand.

"Opium reaching Siam from Tavoy District must be illicit opium smuggled from outside Tavoy, or licit opium illicitly disposed of in the district, or opium actually produced in the district. As to the first, our Excise Staff primarily exists to deal with such smuggling and for our own sakes we are not likely to relax our efforts to put an end to it. As to the second, the main sources of leakage have been at the mines, and vigorous efforts are now being made to secure that no more opium reaches any mine than is absolutely necessary for the licit consumers working there. As to the third, it has never been suggested that poppy cultivation exists in the district, and such cultivation could hardly escape

immediate detection.

I do not think that any special measures are called for in the district. I propose, however, to have the villages along the Tenasserim River and the upper reaches of the Tavoy River visited next open season by the most experienced available excise officer. If you consider it desirable I shall also issue special instructions to the head-men of village tracts along the main routes to the Siamese frontier."

3. The matter seems to concern the north-western frontier of Siam, adjoining the Shan States.

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