OPIUM IN PETTICOATS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9398, 19 March 1909, Page 7

OPIUM IN PETTICOATS.

Quite a.mild sensation was created on board the German steamer Prinz Sigismnnd, berthed at Sydney one night last week, when an encounter . took place between two lady visitors to the vessel and a Customs House officer, says the Sydney Morning Herald. It seems' that for some time past the authorities have suspected that the Chinese smugglers employed 'the services of women to assist them in landing the contraband, and two women who boarded the vessel and remained on board for several hours aroused the suspicions of Officer Anderson, who concealed himself on the wharf. As the women were Walking along the main-deck with a view to making for the gangway, Officer Anderson suddenly sprang on board, and the women shrieked and fled.' The officer gave chase along the deck and through one of the dining rooms, but before he was able to overtake the women they divested themselves of their petticoats, whichJJ they left on the floor of one of the compartments, and continued their flight. The petticoats were secured by the officer and found to contain 37 tins of opium. The garments had evidently 7 been specially constructed for the, purpose of smuggling. There were rows upon rdws of flounces, in each of which was a pocket sufficiently large to hold one tin’of opium. By an ingenious arrangement,. upon an alarm being given the wearer could drop the garment without difficulty. The petticoats and. their contents were taken to the King’s Warehouse, but the women are still at large,