Sessional_Paper_1929 — Page 276

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A special grade of matured Indian opium, known as "Kam Shan Opium", is sold in three tael tins only at $50.00 per tin- $16.66 per tael.

This grade is sold only at the office of the Imports and Exports Department and sales are made only to known and reputable Chinese merchants resident in Hong Kong and the opium is for their own personal consumption only.

Towards the end of the last decade there was a great demand for opium in Canton and this grade of opium was particularly in demand.

In order to prevent smuggling from Hong Kong to Canton the Government instituted a system of registration of the users of "Kam Shan Opium" and issued to them pass books wherein their purchases up to stated monthly requirements are recorded. No supply can be obtained without presentation of the pass book.

This limited system of registration has been retained notwithstanding the fact that the flow of contraband is now from Canton to Hong Kong instead of vice

versa.

Part III.

THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE ILLICIT TRAFFIC IN OPIUM.

Impossibil- ity of

estimating

quantities snuggled.

Seizures,

1. It is impossible to estimate with any pretence to accuracy the extent of the illicit traffic in opium with respect to either the amount smuggled into the Colony itself or the amount smuggled through the Colony en route for other places.

The numbers of seizures and the amounts seized during the past five years are as follows:-

Year.

Number of Taels.

Seizures.

1924

2,691

62,163

Include numerous seizures in "divans".

1925

2,880

62,982

Do.

1926

2,331

60,208

Do.

1927

2,261

48,921

Do.

1928

711

48,450

Sources of contraband.

What proportion these figures bear to the amounts successfully smuggled can- not be ascertained.

2. The chief source from which illicit opium reaches the Colony is China, but the routes by which it comes vary from time to time.

Until 1928 Kwong Chow Wan was the chief supplier of Chinese opium, which was carried by practically every ship coming from that port.

In 1928 the route by which the majority of the Chinese opium came into the Colony was changed to the West River and the main supply now comes from Wu- chow, though a certain quantity comes from Macao and Pakhoi.

During 1929 a certain quantity of opium of West River origin was transported overland by rail from Canton.

Amoy opium is not seen in any large quantities and has never been very popu- lar in the Colony.

In the seizures of opium arriving from Macao both raw and adulterated Per- sian opium have been encountered several times in 1928.