Big-scale Smuggling Of Jewellery Alleged

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 54, 7 March 1944, Page 5

Big-scale Smuggling Of Jewellery Alleged

DUNEDIN, March 6. The existence of a smuggling business in jewellery on a large scale was suggested by Mr. F. B. Adams in the Police Court when he appeared for tho Collector of Customs (Mr. D. F. McKellar) in support of six charges of breaches of tho Customs Act against Eric Rutland Mander, commercial traveller, of Dunedin (Mr. C. J. L. White). Three of the charges were of importing without a license jewellery valued at £432 and three were of smuggling the jewellery. Pleas of guilty were entered to all the charges and penalties totalling £450 were imposed. “The three parcels concerned in the charges are not the only transactions,” Mr. Adams said. “The Department knows of four sales to other jewellers in Dunedin and believes that a number of other sales have taken place to other jewellers throughout New Zealand amounting to a very large sura iu value. Wc liavo no information about the means by which the goods were brought into tho country. They are suspicious about his modus operandi, but they are only suspicions and there has been no frank disclosure by defendant. We have no doubt that in the actual smuggling other persons must have been concerned but we believe he is the principal in the business and not merely a tool,” Mr. Adams said. Mr. White said the minimum penalty the Court could impose was £l5O which, in addition to the forfeiture of goods, would result in the loss to defendant of £582. The Department knows of offences for at least two and a-half years and seriously delayed prosecution. About three years ago defendant was in Auckland. lie had boen an itinerant, jeweller for 10 years. There had been a shortage among some jewellers for gold chain and he had been approached by a man who offered to supply th 9 chain. He did not inquire about the source of the goods. The other goods Were his own property acquired, over a

long period in a legitimate way of business but he has now lost the lot. Defendant could have disclosed the source of one parcel of goods, but from motives of chivalry declined to do so In agreeing to confiscation he had believed that was the end of the matter. The Magistrate said defendant had clearly been evading payment of duties and deserved no consideration. On each of the three charges of importing without a license he was fine £IOO and on each of the three charges of smuggling a fine of £SO was imposed.