RAIDED BY POLICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 55, 2 September 1943, Page 5

RAIDED BY POLICE

BLACK MARKET FACTORY

O.C. SYDNEY, August 24. Australian Commonwealth Investigation Branch officers are seeking a man who, they allege, was operating a black market in cosmetics in Sydney. When officers raided a building in the heart of the city they found three girls making and packing cosmetics, but the principal had disappeared. Entrance to the factory was through a cafe which had been closed when the rest of the premises were taken over by the manufacturer. The officers found large quantities.of finished products, mainly brilliantine, the manufacture of which is prohibited, and raw materials. The girls were directed to essential war work, but the owner of the factory could not be traced. The man had occupied the premises since last October and is stated to have operated previously in Melbourne and Brisbane. He did not have scruples about using established firms' trade marks and containers.

Entrance to the Sydney.factory could be gained only by a secret password. Mrs. Mary Strong, who lives next door to the factory, said that she could never catch the word, but it was used by the girl employees and all callers. "Men with bags used to call, particularly at the weekends," said Mrs. Strong. "They all knew the password. I don't know who admitted them. A lorry regularly pulled up in the back lane and loaded cases. But it was impossible to tell what was in the cases." , i

Commonwealth officers allege that the proprietor of the factory broke at least 10 National Security Regulations.