MORE OPIUM RAIDS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1932, Page 5

MORE OPIUM RAIDS

POLICE COUP AT AUCKLAND. EIGHT CHINESE ARRESTED. (Per Press Association Copyright.) AUCKLAND, December, 18. A house in Grey’s Avenue occupied by Chinese, which, was Taided by .the police a little mpre than a week ago, was again taided this afternoon, eight Chinese being arrested, while a quantity of opium prepared for smoking several pipes ajk| a number of other accessories were seized. v » •• • The police party, which comprised acting-Detective Wilson, who took part in the previous raid, a»d Constables Viale, Davis, Williams and Mahood, went quietly to the house shortly after two o’clock. The building, an old two-storeyed wooden structure, was not barricaded, but it was found necessary to fore© the back door with an iron bar. A s eoon as the door was open, Constables Williams and IMahood rushed in. Ther e was no one on the ground floor, but in a small upper room, almost devoid of furniture, eight Chinese were found seated about the floor. The remainder of the police party then went upstairs, which provided the only access to the . room. On the oocagmn of the previoug raid two Chinese jumped from a window, one being slightly in-

jured, In the room there were to-day found pipes, a small quantity of opium, lamps and other accessories, which were seized arid removed. None of the Chinese offered any resistance to arrest. They were taken to the central police station in a motor-car, SEVEN ARRESTS IN WELLINGTON. BUILDING LIKE A FORTRESS. WELLINGTON, December 18. Seven Chinese, suspected of smoking opium were arrested in Haining Street in the early hours of ' Sunday morning. It took two detectives and a Constable over two hours to force an. entry to th e premises, which were barricaded like a fortress, the door s being covered with sheet iron, and doubly bolted with wood and iron bars. The entrance to’ the stair s was covered with a steel-lined trap door, worked with wires and ropes. The windows were barred and were covered inside and out with diamond mesh' gteel netting. The detectives forced their way through an upper window, tftitting through the steel mesh and timber.