Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-03
More Than 200 Special Agents
Wage Unending War on an S,OOO-N
People, Who Use Every Conceivabl|
United States Borders and Coastli1

70 post warnings ADVISING Lner customers 10
Beware of American Customs Spies" France
has registered periodic protests against the EN-
cheney Of American agents, and some tourists,
who have been caught and fined heavily for
trying to beat the Government out of its lawful
revenue, have howled loudly at Uncle Sans
immoral tactics"
Literally however, there are no customs
spies" in the service; nor are there any IN
formers on the rolls. But to combat the dead
beats the customs officers must have informa-
ton, and they have very efficient way of get
ting it. Under authorization of the tariff law
q fiat rate of rs per cent of the amount Tecov-
cred, up to but not exceeding $4,000 is paid
to any person who furnishes original informa-
ton about smuggled goods.
The motive prompting the informer is not
investigated, nor need he reveal his real name.
Thus countersalesmen, invoice clerks, stewards
and StewardeSses on ocean liners, maids and
wallets, accountants in business houses and other
persons in many walks of life have volunteered
information that has given the agents clue TO
work on
Sometimes the motive is patriotism; often it
is quite different. Jealousy, revenge, unre-
Quilted love, marital sQuabbles, avarice, have
Influenced men and women to supply tips on
smugglerS and few persons have found 1t
possible to make tidy income by going in for
such work on a basis that is at least semi
professional
Often the information slips out casually. One
woman was caught because her sister-in-law
in her cups at party, did bit of Dragging
Probably a certain professional diamond run
ner" is still wondering how the agents were
wised up to the fact that he arriving on a
certain boat with handful of Sparklers con-
cealed skillfuly about his person. Bad man
ners sealed his doom. This is how it happened
On a golf course near Antwerp an An1eri-
can, not an expert golfer accidentally drove
his ball onto a green where group Of players
were maneuvering for putt Now golf is a
very formal game on the continent and, aware
that he had committed faux pas, he sauntered
over and offered apologies TO the men on the
green.
Instead of being gracious, one of the other
golfers told him what he thought of his game,
the color Of his pecktie and sundry other mat
ters Which made the American notice him.
At diamond brokerage he saw the man
again.
who is that bird?" he asked a girl clerk
casually.
oh" she replied, that is Mr. - He
comes in here often and buys lot of dia-
monds."
The American, just as casually began to
discuss the weather But he made point Of
finding out when Mr.. - was to sail and on
what boat. To an agent Of the Government in
New York, he cabled:
Mr.. arriving on the B on such and
such day. Might look over his decorations"
Mr.. -, expressing surprise and indigna-
toms inspectors when he stepped of the boat.
He ushered tremendously into a detention
room. They found eight ten thousand dol
lars worth of diamonds on him, which they
promptly confiscated and they gave him q
heavy fine to boot. So it goes.
THERE a time when smuggling was
fraught with the adventurous glamour that
tradition has woven about pirates tales but
modern commerce, gigantic in scale and intri-
cate in its operations has wrought changes
and refinements. Instead of appearing as a
swashbuckling hero. the modern snuggler,
working behind the scenes and taking a mini
mum risk, is revealed more in the role OF sneak
thief
To many, smuggling still means diamonds
concealed in the heads of canes, jewelry hid
den in coat Innings and similar articles well
known to the customs men. These and a fall
ure to declare are the tricks of tourist SNUG
glers.
In the big cases tactics of an entirely diff
ferent nature may prevail. The crime may be
one of differentiation, false manifestation.
whereby narcotics come in as "furs" and liquor
Flower pots"
Thus, in 1909 a large sugar refining COM
pany was arraigned as a Sn1uggler and in court
was unable to clear itself, though seven men,
mere tools Of the corporation were obliged to
answer the Governments charges that it had
been Systematically, in season and out, from
1901 down to 1907, engaged in stealing from
the United States"
OF the seven, six men, workmen at SIS q week,
got not one cent from the Illegal transactions.
The seventh man, superintendent OF the dock
received O few extra dollars in his pay envelope.
Yet the corporation had pirated 81 1876, 4S6 In
duty and had the Government sued for . for