CO129-502-10 Macao opium traffic 6-12-1926 - 7-12-1927 — Page 107

107

irregularities. Up to the present month of April the opium

trade in Macao was passed over by contract to a concessionaire,

who from the very conditions of that contract enjoyed

facilities of acquisition which the Government were not always

able to control because they did not possess a sufficiently

capable police force for the purpose. It was in order to put

an end to this state of affairs that the régime of a State

"regie" was adopted, which will be in force from now on and

for which a police force is being organised which will give

every guarantee of efficiency for the repression of frauds and

abuses. The quantity of opium which Your Excellency mentioned

as being published in the official bulletins of Macao vas

within the legal limits of lawful imports. The Government of

the Republic do not in the first place, however, believe that

the epium referred to in Your Excellency's Note was really of

Indian origin owing to the great confidence which is placed

in the Indian police and the strict measures in force in India

for the suppression of fraud and contraband. Possibly the

opium originated from other parts and that the concessionaire,

being by chance, unscrupulous, placed upon it a Benares label,

as has been done by many others of various nationalities with

opium of the most varied origin to which there has been

attached a Macao label. All this shows the difficulty of

instituting enquiries, which the Government will nevertheless

undertake to do and they will be as strict as possible and

every endeavour will be made by them to punish any frauds if

there are any.

I avail etc.

(Sd) A.M.DE BETTENCOURT RODRIGUES.