CUSTOMS FRAUDS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 15 March 1913, Page 7

CUSTOMS FRAUDS.

REMARKABLE ALLEGATIONS. SYSTEMATIC SWINDLING. By TeJoeraph—Press Association—Copy riclil Melbourne, March 14. The investigation in consequence of the disappearance 'of Charles Heath, a trusted onicer, of Permewan, Wright and Co., has revealed a remarkable scheme for defrauding the Customs. It is allegodfthat instead of a cheque for duty being paid at the Customhouse and the whole of the goods being taken delivery .of, a different set of documents was made out representing that some were goods in transit to another country, and should be dealt with in bond.

The device adopted in order to get theso , out-of the Customs control without pay-' ing duty was to slop, at a. secret depot on .the way from one vessel to another, and the goods into other cases which were got up .to represent tho original cases. The latter were then filled with old bricks arid rubbish and placed aboard an outward-bound vessel, addressed to a fictitious firm at another port. The goods themselves were carefully packed at the secreti depot in cases similar to the original cases, and' delivered to tho importers.' The Customs" authorities recovered in New Zealand eases sent, there, and which were lying unclaimed. When opened, they were found to contain rubbish.