DRESS SMUGGLERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 874, 18 January 1930, Page 26

DRESS SMUGGLERS

CLEVER AND DARING WOMEN CUSTOMS WAGE WAR War lias been declared by the Kng- j lisli Customs authorities on women j smugglers, who are becoming more j clever aud daring, making the work of the officials increasingly difficult. In every case in future in which intent to defraud is established the authorities will not hestitate to take proceedings. This new edict is due to j the fact that despite the increased Customs vigilance there has been an extraordinary growth of smuggling by women during the past year. I Until recently the worst class of j smuggler, from the point of view of quantity and value, was the wealthy j I woman who hid silks, perfumes and j | liqueurs in her luggage. , “Runners” for London Firms : Now, however, the officials’ chief i ! foes are well-dressed women who act ; as agents for business lirms and are j smuggling silks and other goods. An official at the Customs House said to a “Daily Mail” reporter: In some instances women who are ]

acting as runners for firms in London declare model gowns and silks as their own property, aud thus get them i through at a lower rate of duty. In j other cases they- do not even declare j them. Recently- there has been a considerable tightening-up in the examination. A number of cases will shortly be j brought into court. ' 1 The authorities are determined to ] stamp out this kind of smuggling, and Swill not hesitate to make an example ! of anyone. Among the devices adopted by women, as revealed by police court cases and statements by Customs preventive officers, are: —Pockets sewn inside petticoats and skirts, articles packed among soiled linen. jewels and small wrist watches hidden in powder-boxes carried in handbags, silk stockings pushed into the toes of shoes, lengths of materials wound ! around their bodies, wearing several I dresses or undergarments under a j coat. j The report of the Commissioners of I Customs and Excise for the year 1 ended March 31 last, issued recently, reveals that smuggling round the BritI ish coast. in which adventurous j women—some of them owning their vachts —take part, is still prevalent. ! ' During the year 5.201 seizures of [ smuggled goods were made. Of these

•*.54 1 concerned tobacco and : ;; - 5:;51b ? c . tobacco and :!53 ; spirits being seized. The number of persons convicted ; smuggling was 3,431, the penal u ! totalling £ 17.755. * IUtl