The Cordova daily times., 1921-11-22
OPIUM RING IN HAWAII DOING
 BIG BUSINESS

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 UONOLUIJ', r. v. No> 22. Sen ~.tiouM disclosure. following the re- cent seizure of Sa4.ooo worth of op- um from the trans Pacific liner Tnnyo Naru in Honolulu harbor, have revealed the existence in Hon oIulu and probably throughout the entire Territory or an illicit opium traffic running into thousands of dol lars a month and backed. it is pre- -um.d. by a powerful "opium ring"
 Among the startling facts brought ;o light through police and ncwspa- per investigations are the following
 There are approximately 25o opium joints" in Honolulu and it's imme- diatc cnyirons.
 There is an "undorground rail road" operating between Honolulu and Oriental ports. by means of which large supplies of the drug are kept flowing into Hawaii.
 Besides Chinese opium fiends, there are between fifty and sixty hahitual users of the drug among the white population of Honolulu, about 20 per cent of whom are women.
 Facts which have come to light concerning the fabulous profits yield ed by the opium trade explain the lure which has drawn enough men into the game" to successfully baffle all attempts of the narcotic squad to put stop to the business. \ five tacI tin of opium of first quality costs about $50 laid down in Homo mu. including the expense of snug sling fl ashore after nighuall at some secluded beach and hauling il into town The same tim then commands rrfco of from Sl25 to Sl5o. the price nucuatna with the quantity of the drug on the market With an average of at least poo of these tins coming into the Territory monthly. according to estimates made by local rr tom. officials the net profit to the opium ring runs from >@75oo 10 &.oooo prr month. a ridv sum when divided for the most part among a small group of men, the true brains of tho opium trade
 SAMPANS OPIUM RUNNERS
 To add to the difficulties confront ing the men who are endeavoring to mt an end to this lucrative trade i Uonolulu harbor shelters large fleet of speedy fishing sampans, owned and operated for the most part by Japanese. These craft, pro peIed by gasoline motors, have wide cruising range and are capable of a greater speed than that devel- opcd by other small boats. II is therefore a comparatively simple mat ter for these sampans to meet an in coming Oriental liner many miles from port and frequently under GOV or of darkness. These steamers as rule reach port near daybreak. The sampans get the opium, dropped from porthole on the liner by pre- arrangcment. The sampan may then return to her berth a day or two later with a catch of fish on board. there to land both fish and opium in perfect safety. It is only when a steamer arrives late in the day and more dangerous means of landing the contrabaud must be rosortcd to that the smucglers are approhcndcd. and even then it k believed are those in touch with the work that the real leaders of the ring" remain un- touched even to the operatives who are convicted and fined or jailed for their part in the smuggling opera tions
 Confessions forced from customs inspectors implicated in the last frustrated attempt to land opium at Honolulu cause local customs officials to believe that they are now hot on the trail of the real brains of the opium ring. and disclosures are mom- entarily expected which will throw light on one of the most thoroughly organized smuggling gangs of modern times.