BIG SEIZURE OF OPIUM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 425, 6 February 1909, Page 6

BIG SEIZURE OF OPIUM.

THE CHASE OF'THE WARREEMBEfc [r 2OM OPE. OWN. CQBBESPONDENT.] ' Sydnoy, February I. Opium smuggling appears to pay well,,wben such risks aro freely run by those willing to engage in this traffic. 'That there'js plenty of smuggling carried on in' Australia is <'bvious fiom toe frequency with which we hear" of offenders being detected at various places upon the coast. On Wednesday night there was an exciting chase in Sydney harbour, when a Customs boat pursued a steam launch, and made a haul of 867 tins of opium, con™ned ;in ;.six sacks, \ and;: valued : : at'- abbiit: 1 . ;■■••;;; ';■ i/duOO,": ■.' ..' ■' ';. ■.'■- ■■ " '"."■'.■'■*'*:.-' - - ">■' ■')." > --' When-the isteamer Empire)'which'arrived ! ■■ ■' ■'■. here.from:China:and Japan,'contijiue.d- her '■ .• ' '■. voyage',to-Jlelbourne that day,.'a ; small steain' ■:.'..; : . ; launch,~the Warreeihberj was 'noticed : 'cr'uis'frig: ''- : ■■■;■ ■ outside the; Heads 'about 1 o'clock,- apparently -..'. ~' '.: "a * , fishln S excursion; 'but three; Custbini •::' omciab, .who. were , , watching/'fromv"'td'eip.->:'■'"•-■•' " own. launch,, her-under v-'.;. • obsCTy^tion v .. It; is:statedvthat^she:continSed.:: - : ■- ' to..foUow.,the .Empire; downline; cbasti'-'ami - ■■'■■■.'■■'■■.'..-. .nnallv, six^or?vseveh ■ the -:■ Heads,;steamed right under^ner-stern'/'- =';••■ " - -^alisin^ that: gkve>chasevoutside -•:;f " any :contraband:goods might : be.:thrown-.byer- - ,■-;• ■: board, the;Customs:omcers-decided^toaw ; arfc ;; > ;, : ;?e,\\,aiT«emb B r> return'to>rt,"arid,--with"--,- : . £ c m *' just-: inside''South o / ;Head.-,-rhey had a long wait.l: Meanwhile , the --• .\\arreember;travelled-about in the open : sea?- ; ' those: on board, appearing:, to be engaged J in' '>' ■ fishing.r t At .last,.;about 7: M rS. ■ entered-.the harbour,, and. made' for' Circular "■■•■ ■ ; yuay,.with.,the Customs party keeping her ja ■: ,! .'' : Slgllu.'V'- ..; ■. • • ,v" -;'V ,'.;.■' -~ - ■ :'•;:.' ".■■■'_"..-. \~ •'-,■?■-! ''." ■}■ .'-■■( "'■ .'"■■ : - Off Sydney'Cbve.'.thoseon board the'Waiw , ''s . : ' reomberv apparently psreeived" that they-were ' > :; ' being ; watchedj:for the quickly/ '■" "•■ ■and .headed full: speed ; acrossvthe"harbbur for- '' : - " Blue^ v ;Point:".;.Ani ; exciting' chase' -'ensued. l - :'■. The Warreember:whs teo,fast for the Custpma :"' boat,: ; and got to the wharf: at Blue's! Point -'. v ■befqreshe was overtaken f but hereHhe'ttow'; :';■. 'officials';leapedcoii board, v aiid:discovered on '■-'■' %'■ ■ the.'maui :deck;'six sacks' ; all full of'tins-of ; . «.'' ' opium.v.There.« "ss'already;stated, , ' 867' :>'y--vtins mall.; ;,The'; sacks werf weV'a'factwhich'-. • :• : goes-to -confirm suspicion that -the^gobde■.-:.':■ were>:picked,up)from'the.s<>a.\ ■:■■■:; x;./.;.. : 'vf . ;TheehiefvDoafdin^;officer, : Mr^F<^/.ifoi^*;iV- : : mally>seized c ;the. i bpium,\'and:isent' ! it;'to the -$.: ; " ; ■ King s' : Warehouse',..and the launch-was'alsb --■; - : • - spending the of ; i:the';"Gburt.:',i ■'• : . ■ Under. , the .Act Department -has' - ': power board: at .the iime>of-the : 'ti . : - ■ ' was_a£theiwheel/ and : a r 'Chinese:storekeeper^.:-:. : V whbfwasisuffering-frpm/sea^sickness■'■. '-\..' m'a ? rested, on vsm-uggling,-.and ha.ve : ':■■ ■■'■■: been; -:5.- ; lii Ms'-saioV:-:": -t;-; thafc.two other :'men;'jumped • ashore'andmade "' : .- • ;their;escape^:by;the:Blue?s ; K»int:rbady-before '■•V^-''- , the^'Custbin^lavmch';ieached ; scene.': -.V.: - 1 -The;captain''and;bfficers'flf ; the Empire 1 ex-.,v >' '■'■''- ■pressed, astbnishnient , when;.informed on ; the "'■ : ' arrival !,o_f v th'e : steam;e^.^ ppmm^seizurevr.-It.appeaTythititis/a'custbin '•"'■'■■■ : after the : Heads have been -cleared,- .and appar--:.;.■ 1 ;ently.opium,could v Ke: dropped put:-at'such' a' ;. ■: time. ]nthout .beingrnoticed,;.especiaUy after ■ ■ '.■'••.- ■1 ; o'clock; i since:,at- that 'time : most-of.' the;-■''. v - '.officer's; are at lunch. : y;. : -\•.":'•■.■'■ -,-/"?'>.■■". ■ :>■.:--'.-^v ?