CO129-522-1 Illicit traffic in Chinese opium 7-12-1929 - 29-10-1930 — Page 36

Greft.

35

Barly in Maroh, 1930, an armed launch flying the

Chinese flag ran ashore in British territory upon an

island south of Hong Kong. In the launch were 83 cases

each containing 166 tins, each weighing 33 pounds and

bearing the label of the Opium Suppression Bureau of

Kwang Tung marked in Chinese: "Stamp of Medicinal

Material for curing the Opium labit" and "Allowed to be

consumed everywhere in the interior". The Captain of

the launch stated that the cases contained "anti-opium

medicine material" on its way to watow and produced

permits issued by the Opium Suppression Bureau of Kwang

Tung at Canton for the transport of 83 cases of "Tien"

opium, described as a medicated paste or drug, to Swatow

for the Branch sale department of the Bureau at that port.

On an analytical examination the contents of the cases

were found to be Chinese Raw Opium. As the requirements

of the Hong Kong Opium Ordnance in regard to the transit

of opium had not been complied with, the opium was

detained by the Hong Kong Authorities who, in view of the

Chinese law on the subject of opium, roferred the matter

to H.M. Government for directions.

Subsequently a request for the return of the

consignment to Canton was received from the Mayor of the

Canton Municipality who stated that it consisted of

"anti-opium medicine materiale" for use with other

medicinal substances in the preparation of medicine for

the gradual cure of opium addicts, that it was being

taken by a Superintendent of the Kwang Tung Opium

Suppression Bureau (who was also captain of the launch)

under instructions from the Bureau to the district Opium

Suppression Bureau at Swatow there to be made into medicines