CO129-502-9 Opium traffic- activities of Nemazee family 1-12-1926 - 27-10-1927 — Page 30

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measures to safeguard her supply, and is making mere

difficult the task of those governments of opium-smoking

countries which are genuinely trying to bring the habi t

under effective control.

You know, I think, the position in Biam, Illicit

opium, mainly of Chinese origin, is pouring into Biam,

partly by sea and partly from the north via the Shan States.

There is reason to believe that the amount entering the

country is increasing.

opium. The extent of the illicit trade has not only forced

Siam (on the advice of Stevens and my self) to postpone

It sells vastly cheaper than licit

sine die her registration and rationing scheme; it also

tends to put temptations in the way of officials. It is

obvious that, before it can hope to regain the initiative

and properly to central consumption - let alone ration it -

the Government must be able to rely on an assured supply.

So far, no definite alternative has present ed

itself to purchasing Persian Opium through the Singapore

dealers. As I mentioned in my letter of April 12th, we

have been trying to arrange for a direct supply from the

Persian Government, but the negotiations (starting in Paris

between Prince Chareen and Dr. Millspaugh's lieutenant,

Colonel McCormack) have made very little progr080 some

of Colonel M's initial conditions were impossible - and the

departure of the American "mission" from Persia, if it occurs,

will not facilitate matters. Colonel Haworth has suggested

two Manchester firms; they may be all right, but I must say that their names (Ziegler and Shirazee) don't inspire much

Fortunately, we have recently received information

confidence.

of a more promising channel of supply. Bellairs, Atkinson

and

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