Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-05

it out of the country then no further require
mentS are necessary.
~ A S each car in each lane reaches the in
spection booth it is examined inside and
out and, if no contraband is found further
examination is necessary. it is passed through.
I'm those cases where the presence of contra
band is suspected where unusual equipment
is noticed, such cars are sent to the inspection
center and are driven over mirrors or ref1ectors
which clearly reveal every mechanical feature
underneath the car.
"Oftentimes false compartments are found
attached to bottoms of cars. usually containing
dozen or so bottles Of liquor. Many other de-
vices have been found, but customs officers have
been SO alert and adept at locating these places
Of concealment that the practice Is gradually
falling off.
mot SO long ago it somewhat shocking
for an inspector to learn that an apparently re-
fined young woman smuggling by conceal
ing several bottles of liquor upon the persons Of
her aged parents; and to discover that
clergyman with the vestments, dignity and
poise of that calling. in reality q rum
runner. The garb. of course. merely guise
under which he hoped to smuggle merchandise
over the border.
I'm another instance, man and woman ar
rived at one of the border ports and drove up
to the customs station He explained that the
woman was suffering from lumbago and hoped
that the inspection could be made while she re-
manned in the car, since it was very painful for
her to move
Now. the intuition of customs officers is most
uncanny. 1t is surprising how quickly they
can detect a falSehood The officer informed
the man that the inspection could not very well
be made unless the lady stepped out of the car;
that it would only require a few minutes, and
that the lady need only step to the side of the
car. This she did
However. her awkward movements suggested
anything but lumbago 1t only remained for
the officer to suggest to her that perhaps she
would care to go to the customs house and UNI
burden herself of any contraband that she
might be carrying.
"Once inside the Office the 'lumbago sufferer
removed several bottles of liquor from pockets
cleverly concealed inside her skirt deposited the
required fine and went on her way. a sadder
and wiser woman
OPERATING independently of the Customs
- Bureau and sometimes working hand in
hand with it, are other important Government
departments in determined effort to outwit
the smugglers With plans well laid, the new
Bureau of Narcotics, which about two years ago
split from the Prohibition Bureau and made
an important section of the Treasury Depart
ment. is fighting cunning with cunning to the
end of preventing drug smuggling.
These drugs, principally morphine. cocaine
and heron smuggled into the United States
largely through the port of New York. The
commissioner of narcotics supervises the activi-
ties of group of field division officers through
out the United States who. in turn, supervise
the maneuvers of about 300 "undercover men"
agents and inspectors especially qualified for
the detection and prosecution of violators Of
the narcotic laws.
Attempts at drug smuggling cost Uncle Sam
millions Of dollars year. If you're skeptical
about this then bear in mind that Government
agents must utilize tremendous sums of Gov
eminent funds to carry out the task of examin-
ing trucking and diSpOSing of large cases of
smugged goods
Not long ago, for instance. the largest mar
cotic seizure ever made in the United States
was accomplished at the port of New York. A
Government searching squad. aided by police,
seized four tons Of narcotics, valued at close
to S. 900 900.
According to John McGill. deputy surveyor q
customs. the seizure, packed in II large cases,
consisted of 81 900 ounces of morphine, 8,5oe
ounces OF heron and $500 ounces of opium.
The crates, reinforced at the corners with
metal strips, were marked ION order" which
meant that any one possessing the proper man.
ifesto could have claimed the shipment ane
trucked it away had no raid been made. Hoe
ever, at this writing, no one has been approD
hended in connection with the case.
Talk about clever ruses! Here's story about
one that almost got by Not so long ago a big
New England carpet-making concern turned
over to narcotic agents 80 pounds of gum
opium. 1t had been concealed in one of CID
bales Of Turkish wool imported from ConstaaD
tinople. This was helpful tip-off for the Fed
eral agents, for shortly afterward another big
wool shipment came in. More opium was
found. 1t was> contained in six canvas belts,
apparently made to be worn around a persons
waist. The belts were made of very light can
vas, and there were two kinds of sewing thread
In the bale Of wool, showing that it had been
opened and the opium placed inside
An even more striking case of this same gen.