CUSTOMS FRAUDS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1925, Page 3

CUSTOMS FRAUDS.

A SMUGGLING CONSPIRACY. SY DNEY, SYDNEY, September 11. Through the vigilance of the Customoliieers at Sydney it is believed that a world-wide smuggling conspiracy Innbeen revealed. Early in July a young handsome, well-dressed Swiss, uaniec Ernest Walter Boss hard, landed in Sydney from, the steamer lloutman, wide' had come from Batavia. Asked by tin Customs if lie had any jewellery to do clare, Bossluird produced articles ol jewellery worth about G20I). On tlios. duty was paid. Tie vigilant Customofficer was not satisfied. and searched Bosshnrd’s huge wardrobe trunk am; other luggage, containing heaps of cx pensive clothing, but nothing dutiable came to light. For a fortnight nothing more was heard of Bossluird. Then word came to the ears ol the Cos toms officials that a big consignment o distinctive jewellery had been placed with a well-known firm of jewellers. The linn was curious. It did not knowtinl history of the jewellery, and al jewellers have been curious about goods of this unexpected nature since the 80l shoviks commandeered the Russian Crown jewels. Suspicions set in train, the Customs arrested Bossluird, am; charged him with smuggling, after impounding about L'l 7.000 wort li oljewel lory. The handsome Swiss strnngoi was brought before the Police Court and lined the maximum of Col 10. The jewellery was ordered to he confiscate • and Bosshard to leave the eontnry. STRANGE JEWELLERY.

That, in drab nullitie.' is the story "I Sydney’s unearthing ol a world-wide smuggling' conspiracy, t nderlying it ian amazing story. When reports came to tin- Customs of strange jewellery in circulation among the shops, Bosshard was traced m the most luxurious -nit.-, in Sydney's most luxurious hotel. Interrogated. Bosshard admitted that lie laid brought jewellery into Sydney, and prudiued the Customs receipts for the £2OO worth he had declared. ll< denied that lie had any other materia' which was dutiable, but collapsed w ln-n the ( uslonis official asked: "How do you account lor Ibe {." <■< nll > worth ol jewellery you lodged with so-aud-su." i naming a limn. Ros.-hurd’- room waseu robed Amou : -. hi waid.-.le wore found I'.'WHI worth of jewellery and a pile of correspondence. The latter was the real find. Most of it was in French and German, and some in code, lull the experts of the Department unravelled it. The correspondence contained copies of letters written by Biissnhri! for some months past, and it revealed the biggest attempt at smuggling in Australian history and the operations of an international gang. TELL-TALE LETTERS.

The letters, in short, were written to Bossliard’.s principals in France. Tie detailed how Customs officers in India and Japan had been suspended or prosecuted for allowing jewellery to slip past them, and then spoke ot the vigilance of the Customs in Sydney. In a letter written after his arrival here, hr said that even his dirty linen bags had been searched, and he considered himself lucky that lie had sewn the largest. part of the jewellery in his clothes His plan was to repack this expensive jewellery in the eases where bad reposed the cheaper stall' on which he hail paid duty.

In all £17,034 worth of jewellery was recovered. There was a magnificent emerald ring, and another set in ilia moods. There were a pearl necklet diadems, brooches, scarf pins, watches ear-rings, and many kinds of jewels—all ol' the best.- Bosshard spoke aim languages, and had done business with Eastern potentates. A sadder and wiser man, Bosshard loft tor the Fas' a few (lavs ago, and his smuggled jewel lerv will probably be put up for auction.