20
23
19673
32.57.
70.
480681
48
PORSINH OPIUM FOR CHIMA. FINANCED BY A HONGKONG FIRM.
The Headquarters from which the Persian opium smuggling
ship 3/S PHILADELPHIA was managed care to light during the year,
"he papers found on the premises of a Chinese firm, though to
some extent fragmentary, throw a good deal o light on the last
two trips of this ship from Bushire with opium to the coast of
China. This ship originally flew the French flag as the
"Cochin-China" but was really chinese owned, she was sold by
order of the Court here for a debt in September, 1925, and her
new owner at once resold her to a syndicate composed of Chinese
merchants, carrying on business in Shanghai, Macao, Kongmoon
The ship was at once refitted and was despatched
on her way to Bushire for opium in October, 1925. The
syndicate who owned the ship chartered her out to another
syndicate nominally, but really the same with possibly a few
other friends added. A separate office was started for the
management of the ship, but this was closed down before the
investigation took place, and some of the papers removed to
the premises of the firm, which was searched, and which managed
the purchase and disposal of the opium.
and here.
The opium syndicate was composed of several wealthy
Chinese merchants who resided in the Colony, several who had
business in Macao, where another office was maintained, chiefly
it appears to deal with the disposal of the opium, others lived
in Canton and the district near Kongmoon, others in Shanghai.
The first consignment left Bushire at the end of November, 1925,
The cost of the second at the beginning of August, 1926.
these two consigments, over a million dollars, was remitted
through a Hongkong Bank to Bombay to the credit of a well-known
Persian merchant of Bushire, who is one of the chief dealers in
opium from whom the recent exports to China have been purchased.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.