Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-23
P. 0. EMPLOYE
MAYBE Agent
OF OPIUM RING
Investigation of the Mailbag
Smuggling Case Points
to Collision

Evidence Of a far-rraching coEspir
;ICy 10 use IT," postal systems Of Ia
ian aid HE United States in SNUG
Cling OpIHm inlu AUrri, i has beer
disclosed through the investigate
undertaken by local Federal officials
following the discovery OF 4 scaled
mail sack containing opium valued al
/ 5000 in the last mails received from
Japan on the MancAurIa.
The Federal officials are now work
ing on Tie theory that his attempt
TO smuggle the cOntrahand into Ha
wall through the mails. indie ates COZ
iuSiOn between someone employed i'll
4 e local pOstUffice aHd an rmplOyt
Of the Japanese postoffice a; Maya
saki where the sack IF cUntraDanI
mail matter originated. In support
of this theory il is shown that the
sack vas duly and officially sealed
which could only have been done
through the aid of some one employ
ed in the Nagasaki pOstOffice.
All Mail Inspected.
1t is pointed out that the smugglers
must have known that all mail mat
ter from foreign countries is subject
TO inspection by customs inspectors
at its destination, and that the sack
Of mail matter could only be success
fully delivered GO the cOnsignee with
out discovery, through the agency o;
some one who was in a position tC
keep it from passing through the
local poStOifice after its arrival or
he steamer.
+ 1t has been suggested that if the
smuggling scheme has been in OPP
Grafton for any length of time, it is
probable that the mail sack contain.
ing the opium was diverted at the
wharf, and that the discovery Of the
plan at this time was due to the fail.
ure of the agents of the ring here to
connect with the shipment at the
proper time. The sack consequently
went on to the pOstOffice, where a
clerk discovered the nature of its
contents through a torn wrapper.
One thing the officials are sure OF
and that is that the opium could not
have come in as ordinary mail mat.
ter and been distributed through the
postoffice without detection, as the
rules calling for the inspection of all
parcels from foreign ports are rigid
ly enforced. 1t is this that leads the
officials 10 believe that through some
agency, the smugglers have been Sc
curing possession Of the sacks or
their contents before they reached
the postOffice.
Listed in a Bill of Lading.
- Against the theory that the opium
packages have been diverted from
the pOStOffice at the wharf, it is ad.
Vanced that all the mail sacks ale
regularly listed on a bill Of laGing to
the local postmaster and thai the
fact that one sack was missing would
be quickly noted by those in charge
That an extra sack containing the
cCntraband might have been included
with the other sacks is possible, but
it is stated mat this will not hold as
to the Manchuria shipment because
the sack containing the opium was
listed on the bill of laGing
I'VE are somewhat at sea as yet
en- this case. said POStOffice InSpec-
tor Hare this morning. "There may
have been collision between some one
IN the local office and the SmugglerS
and it is very apparent the SmugglerS
had some kind of an arrangement
with some one in the pOstOffice al
Nagasdki. but if there has been any
collision here We are certain to
learn of it eventually"