New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-12
NATIONAL CAPITAL TOPICS
CUSTOMS SEIZURES FOR YEAR.
rur wang or SPECIAL AGENTS AT THE NEw-YoRK
OFFICE IN BREAKING UP SMUGGLING
my TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIsUsE.i

THE WORK OF SPECIAL AObNio A. AID ~"
OFFICE IN BREAKING UP SMUGGLING
rnY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIsUsEi
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-the report OF
special Agent n Bracket OF the customs service a.
for the last year has been received attne
rrsasury Department. The report shows that twenty
soyen suits for violations Of the customs laws were
broug during the year, the total amount involved Des
s3so177 81. The total number of seizures was I'LL
The foreign value of the goods seized was
s1s575 80 and duties chargeable thereon
amountedsto S10202 5S. Through the efforts OF the
special agos of the Customs Service the following sums
were recovered paid into the United States treas
ry during the year:
On account Of seizures s asS 81 81
increasea duties collections undervaued eo9 o5
Recovered BY suits brOaGnt i59 81
Misoelane0ns
sISa702 90
The activity OF the special agents appears " "'e
broken up smuggling except upon pe'S scar ~
York, and consequently very large OF important
seizures yer made during the year. The report Shows
however that attempts to de:raud the revenue Ny
means of unieryaluation are as frequent as ever f
ega manufacturers continue TO cohslgh 'neii
goods to their agents In TINS country ''o"
invoices made regardless OF and lar Deio"
the cost of manufacture the foreign market pric''
while as the report sho VS. many OF these attempts 10
defraud the Cover nent detected and the proper
rates OF duty charged and collected u is "Su'
found mpractcabe to brn the agents OF foreign a"
ufcrurers under the criminal statute because the ID"
passed in 1874 repeating the act giving "oi-
ties to Customs officers requires 'nat tno
intent OF the importer to deiraad tne
Government must be proven as separate proposiuoh
This renders the Government almost powerless TO sup
press fraud committed by means OF undervaluatons
The officers often have ABUNDANT evidence that goods
have been undervaued but at the same time unape
10 prove the fraudulent intent Of the importer In
the case of goods consigned 10 an agent, the
foreign manufacturer perpetrates the fraud
ana the importer who may be coghlzan.
of IT, cannot be reached and punished for the unawu
acts or intent of partner who Is beyond the Iursc
,tion OF the United States. -, =. .h
The report shows 9sS27 packages received ID the
mails and containing books aud other mefchanulse
were examined by special agents OF the NeWhoIA
Post Office. OF these 44,435 were founn 10 CONTAIN
books which were subject 10 duty anu 90
contained articles. The aln0uno revenue
collected from tns SS.494 "a: INC hupDserI
OF vessels searched during the year was Ooo nu oo
vessels plying between New York ana Albany WereeA
ahmed in order ascertain whether they had conpneu
with the regulations OF the Treasury Department. me
number OF packages OF bag examined I'D transit rO
Canada to Europe 306 Agent Bracket recommends
n reduction OF the number of employees In MS uN'rict
He thinks that the services of six men may DC dSpSSeu
with az yearly saving the Government OF 20 JO o
account OF salaries and 120 on account OF contingent
expenses