This document is communicated . to Governments for gfidentia: information in view of the fact that it, has not il been • msidered by the Advisory Committee on Traffic in Ifiom an Other Dangerous Drugs. Communicated to the Council and the Members of the League.] C . 3 1 7 . M . 2 1 3 . 1937.XI. [O.C.S.300 (e).\ Geneva, July 1st, 1937. LEAGUE OF NATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRAFFIC IN OPIUM AND OTHER DANGEROUS DRUGS SUMMARY OF ILLICIT TRANSACTIONS AND SEIZURES r e p o r te d to the secretariat of the league of nations BETWEEN APRIL 1s t AND JUNE 30t h , 1937 — 2 — PART I. CASES REPORTED IN PREVIOUS SUMMARIES IN REGARD T O WHICH FURTHER INFORMATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED. No. 443. — Seizure of Morphine at Hamburg, November 1931. Del Gracio Case. Reference : The French Government reports (May 29th, 1937) that Auguste C.511.M.251.1932.XI Del Gracio, a warrant for whose arrest was issued by the Public [O.C.294(fr)], page 12; Prosecutor, Hamburg, with a view to his subsequent extradition, for O.C.S.41 and 290. narcotic drug traffic, was arrested in Paris by the French authorities on October 29th. 1936. Del Gracio has been and may still be in touch 33215/157 Rosenbaum, 27707/387. with the international traffickers Abouissac, Eliopoulos, Joseph and Gabriel Schwartz, Astras, etc. No. 1736. Export of 1,500 kg. of Raw Opium from Turkey during the Third Quarter of 1934, destined for Sa’udi Arabia. Reference : The Turkish Permanent Delegation, Geneva, reported (September C.430.M.221.1935.XI 14th, 1936) that from the enquiries made by the Turkish authorities, [O.C.294(y)j, page 12; it would appear that the shipment in question was made on September C. 167. M. 103.1936.X I 21st, 1934, in virtue of export permit No. 2/31, dated September 18th, [O.C.S.3001, page 4 ; 1934, issued by the Board of the Narcotic Drugs Monopoly to Nessim C.307.M.190.1936.XI Tchiprout. Tchiprout had obtained the export permit by stating that [O.C.S.300(a)], page 3 ; the opium was intended for a Jedda trader called Seyit Haji Fettah. O.C.S.236 series. According to the information obtained from the Government of Sa’udi Arabia, Haji Fettah had died eight years previously. In addition, the 17784/387. import of narcotic drugs into Sa’udi Arabian territory is not allowed under the regulations in force in the Hejaz. The Hejaz authorities further informed the Turkish Government that they had received no shipment of opium. No. 26. — Seizure of 1 kg. 350 grs. of Raw Opium at Rotterdam on January 9th, 1936. Reference : The Japanese Office for International Conferences at Geneva reported C. 167. M. 103.1936.X I on April 23rd, 1937, that Ting Ghuk San was detained at Dairen for [O.C.S.300], page 14. vagabondage. He is a native of Canton. He stated that a Chinese sailor on board the British vessel Kerasan proposed that he should 661/388(2). engage in illicit drug trafficking and offered him a commission. He succeeded several times in buying two kg. of opium from a Chinese. These he wrapped up and sealed and gave to a sailor of the Dutch vessel Grootekerk, which came to Dairen in September 1935. The opium was to be transported to Rotterdam and handed over to the sailor on the Kerasan for sale at that port to Chinese. No. 312. —Seizure of 60 grammes of Cocaine at Rangoon on May 25th, 1936, ex the s.s. “ Hong Siang ”, coming from Amoy, Swatow, Hong-Kong, Singapore and Penang. Reference : The Japanese Government reports (May 13th, 1937) that the C.504.M.316.1936.XI authorities of Formosa instituted enquiries concerning this case and that, [O.C.S.300(6)], page 25 ; on the investigation of the registers of the firm of Miwa Tazu, it was O.C.S.289(a). found th at it had, on April 22nd, 1936, sold to the Sai Kyôsen clinic at Tainan, twelve flasks numbered 41-52, each containing 25 grammes 24839/387. of cocaine. This led to the discovery that the head of the clinic, Dr. Sai Kyôsen, suffered from depression and that he was not able to continue to practise medicine. However, it was found that he had continued to purchase rather large quantities of drugs. , , Further investigation revealed the fact that Dr. Sai Kyôsen's father, Sai Konsei,na^ been buying these drugs under the cover of his son’s diploma and he was arrested, January 1934 to June 1936, 168 purchases were made, the receipts given for these being falsified. A total amount of 13 kg. 520 grs. of cocaine and 4 kg. 490 grs. of heroin we^ purchased during this period. 4 kg. 10 grs. of heroin and 6 kg. 580 grs. of cocaine we purchased from the firm of Tatsu Miwa at Tainan ; 130 grammes of heroin and 4 kg. of cocaine from the firm of Rikio Tsunotani, Tainan, and 175 grammes of heroin a 2 kg. 250 grs. of cocaine from the firm of Sigi, of Hekitô. 1 kg. 215 grs. of heroin were re-s to other persons in Tainan, Sai Konsei making a profit of 486 yen (437.40 Swiss gold fran • on these sales. re During the same period, 13 kg. 520 grs. of cocaine and 3 kg. 275 grs. j 3f heroin " exported clandestinely by Sai Konsei from Takao or Keelung to Amoy. The p u re ly of these quantities were, among others, Ts’ai Yen, of Chuanchow, and T c h e n Tchongi Changchow. These transactions left Sai Konsei a profit of 8,839 yen 20 sen (7 ,955.30 gold francs). Dr. Sai Kyôsen has, owing to his mental state, been deprived of his rig practise medicine since November 1936, and the whole affair is before the court. 3 — No. 419. Seizure of 3 kg. 743 grs. of Heroin and 13 grammes of Morphine at Buitenzorgr. Java, on October 27th, 1936. The Japanese Government reports (April 24th, 1937) that the two mrs SOOMl passengers on board the Hosan M a m , arrested in connection with page 2!); ' case, were two Formosans who were tourists on the vessel, which O.C. S./Conf. 134(a). was on a tour of the South Seas, and that they had no connection -ruona? whatever with the seizure at Buitenzorg. They had an introduction 2/04<1/dS/- to Tan Kim Tok in Batavia from his brother‘in Formosa, but they had no idea that he was a drug trafficker. They were released after an investigation lasting two months as they were found to be innocent. The Netherlands Government has informed the Secretariat (April 21st, 1937) that the correct quantities seized in this case are Heroin : 3 kg. 743 grs. (not 4 kg. 500 grs.) ; Morphine : 13 grammes. No. 421. — Seizure at San Francisco, California, ex the “ Heiyo Maru ”, coming from Hong-Kong, August 4th, 1936. Brandstatter case. Rference : The Mexican permanent delegate accredited to the League of fô CS 300'c) 1 Nations reported on April 27th, 1937, that, on the basis of information page 30; ' obtained from the United States authorities, strict vigilance had been 0.C.S./Conf.l09(a). exercised for some months past in the ports and frontier towns over u the arrivals and departures of certain foreigners in touch with well- 1281 ,'388(299). known international traffickers who formed a well-organised gang with 26110/387. headquarters at Shanghai and branches at Havana, New York and Mexico. News having been received, in July 1936, that Brandstatter was coming from Spain to Mexico carrying with him a large quantity of drugs, arrangements were made to await his arrival at the port of Vera Cruz. Brandstatter landed at Havana and entrusted the greater part of his luggage to a German named Oscar Isaak who was carefully searched. Other passengers, who were known to have made friends with Brandstatter during the voyage, were also searched but no confirmation of the information received from the United States could be obtained. Some days later, Brandstatter arrived by aeroplane at Merida, Yucatan, and the authorities examined his luggage with the same negative result. Brandstatter was, however, deported to Havana on account of his papers not being in order. Later, it was learned th at Brandstatter had been expelled from Cuba and that, before arriving in New York, he had committed suicide. A United States Customs employee on the Mexican frontier made a statement which gave very important information revealing the existence in Mexico of various agents of the Brandstatter gang, among whom were Judas Furstenberg and Icek Katz, together with two men of less importance and unconfirmed complicity, Majlack Salve and Mochen Eghise. The premises occupied by these four persons were searched by the Mexican authorities and papers, which at first seemed to be of no importance, were found on the premises of the two first-named. When these persons were questioned, however, it was found that they were in correspondence with Brandstatter, José Buchwald and Israel Borenstein, all international drug traffickers. Furstenberg and Katz were arrested, but owing to lack of evidence they were released. In spite of this, the Mexican authorities are convinced that these persons are secret agents of the Brandstatter gang, and a strict watch will be kept on their movements. It was proposed to arrange for their expulsion from the country but they claim to be Mexican citizens by naturalisation, and unless the authorities find th a t their statements in this connection are false, this procedure will not be possible.