This document is communicated to Governments for confidential information in view of the fact that it has not yei been considered by the Advisory Committee on Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs. [Communicated to the Council and C.248. M. 146. 1938. xi. the Members of the League.] [O.C.S.300(i).] Geneva, July 1st, 1938. LEAGUE OF NATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRAFFIC IN OPIUM AND OTHER DANGEROUS DRUGS SUMMARY OF ILLICIT TRANSACTIONS AND SEIZURES REPORTED TO THE SECRETARIAT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS BETWEEN APRIL 1s t AND JUNE 30t h , 1938 - 2 — PART I CASES REPORTED IN PREVIOUS SUMMARIES IN REGARD TO WHICH FURTHER INFORMATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED No. 1400. — Seizure of 487 grammes of Morphine in Finland on November 8th, 1933. Reference : The Finnish Government reports on April 12th, 1938, that C.96.M.43.1935.XI Komulainen and Kâppi had bought cocaine and morphine on [O.C.S.294(u)], page 27 ; prescriptions issued by Dr. Kalske and Dr. Kartasalo, at different O.C.S./Conf. 537. pharmacies. They had also bought some from Dr. Kalske himself. These drugs they either took to Tallinn or sold to Estonian smugglers. 2661/387. The 487 grammes of morphine seized had, however, been delivered by the chemist Silfverberg without a prescription, and Komulainen had also received small quantities from the chemist Timm, who had no authorisation to trade in narcotics. Pelkonen, a merchant, had acted as intermediary and Filipp Sorin, a manufacturer, had lent money to Komulainen to finance the affair. These illicit transactions took place between September 1931 and November 1933, and the quantity of drugs sold illicitly during that time amounted to 5 kg. of cocaine and 2 kg. of morphine. The following sentences were passed on the accused : Onni Armas Komulainen to imprisonment for ten months and fifteen days ; Tahvo Kâppi to one year and six months, Dr. Karl Edvard Kalske, to one year ; Tyyni Hannes Kartasalo, dentist, to four months ; Ilmari Pelkonen, merchant, to four months ; Carl Anton Silfverberg, chemist, to one month ; Arne Oliver Parmen Timm, chemist, to one month and twenty days ; Filipp Sorin, manufacturer, to a fine of 2250 marcs (158 Swiss gold francs) or to imprisonment for thirty days. The morphine seized was confiscated by the State. The accused were also sentenced to pay jointly the value of the drugs seized, as follows : Komulainen, [3714 marcs (260 Swiss gold francs) ; Kalske, 39319 marcs (2752 Swiss gold francs) ; Kâppi, 38832 marcs (2718 Swiss gold francs) ; Timm, 1269 marcs (8 8 Swiss gold francs) ; Kartasalo, 844 marcs (59 Swiss gold francs) ; Sorin, 487 marcs (34 Swiss gold francs). Kalske was also sentenced to 50000 marcs (3500Swiss gold francs) damages ; Kâppi, to 25000 marcs (1750 Swiss gold francs) ; and Sorin, to 200 marcs (14 Swiss gold francs). In view of the fact that Dr. Kalske and the dentist Kartasalo were sentenced for an offence committed by them in the course of their profession, they were deprived of the right to exercise that profession for a number of years. Nos. 190 and 402. — Seizures at Seattle, Washington, on April 2nd, 1936, and at Los Angeles, California, on October 11th, 1936. Reference : The Japanese Government, in its report on the illicit traffic in 1937, G.307.M. 190.1936.XI stated that Makino, Shimizu and Sawaguchi were each sentenced to [O.C.S.300(a)], page 35 ; imprisonment for five months with hard labour, and Ono, Nishino and C.124.M.77.1937.XI Yamada were each sentenced to imprisonment for two months with [O.C.S.300(c)], hard labour. During the course of the investigations, it was found that page 23 ; Nagai had made certain false statements to the American authorities C. 135. M.80.1938. XI [O.G.S.300(h)], when he was arrested at Los Angeles in October 1936. He stated page 2 ; that his brother possessed a factory in Japan from which the morphine O.C.S.313(<7). seized on that occasion came, and that he knew a way of bringing it into the United States without any difficulty. As a m atter of fact, none of his brothers has any connection whatsoever with any of the drug factories operating in Japan. This statement, as well as the one that drugs can be obtained without difficulty in Japan and brought into the United States, is entirely false. No. 494. — Seizure of 67 kg. of Prepared Opium at Manila, December 4th, 1936, ex the s.s. “ Phemius ”, coming from Hong-Kong. Reference : The Portuguese Government states in a letter forwarded on C.209.M.152.1937.XI [O.C.S.300(d)], February 11th, 1938, that the marks referred to in the report plainly page 17 ; show that it is not a question of Macao Monopoly opium but of O.C.S./Gonf. 184(a). contraband opium ; the origin of the opium seized is left in doubt in the report, the American authorities not knowing whether it was the 1281/388(335). “Lion” mark, the “Lion and Globe”, the “Tiger” or the “Red Lion”. No. 664. — Seizure at San Francisco, California, on May 6th, 1937, ex the s.s. “ President Coolidge ”, coming from Hong-Kong, Kobe and Yokohama. Reference : The Japanese Government, in its report on the illicit traffic in ro^s'sb^re)]937 XI 1937, stated that, according to the information communicated to them page 25. by the American authorities, the drug seized in this case was obtained from Inoue or Inui1 in Yokohama. According to the investigations 1281/388 (385). made by the Japanese authorities, it was not possible to detect the O.C.S.313(<jr). source of the supply of the drugs seized on this occasion, but incidentally 1 See document C.167.M.103.1936.XI [O.C.S.300], page 5, No. 1831. — 3 — they arrested the chemist who had infringed the Drug Regulations, and this arrest brought other suspected persons under special police supervision. No. 758. — Seizure of 379 grammes of Prepared Opium at Honolulu on April 16th, 1937. Reference : The Portuguese Government states in a letter dated February 11th’ C.527.M .366 1937.XI 1 9 3 ^ that the mark “ Cock and Elephant ” is not that of the Macao t0' g Opium Monopoly. It is evident that the smugglers seek to put the O.C.S./Conf. 322(a). authorities of the countries in which the illicit traffic is carried on off the track by the use of this mark. 1281/388 (389). — Seizure of 55 kg. of Opium at Varna, July 12th, 1637. Reference : The Bulgarian Government, on April 19th, 1938, stated that Skordilis C.57. M.22.1938.XI arrived in Bulgaria on June 5th, 1937, via Dragoman. He remained (O.C.S.300(0)], page 4 ; in Sofia until June 26th, and during this time he succeeded in purchasing O.C.S./Conf. 394(a). clandestinely 40 kg. of dried opium and 15 kg. of raw opium. It has not been possible to trace the vendor of this opium. On June 27th, 30300/387. Skordilis left for Varna to try to export the opium by steamer. He was watched by the Customs, and on July 12th they stopped a boat which had shipped 40 kg. of opium on to the s.s. Marie Louise. 15 kg. of opium was found at the house of Marie Nikolova Kalderini, where Skordilis had deposited it on his arrival at Varna. The 40 kg. on board the Marie Louise was intended for Antwerp. Skordilis intended to travel to Antwerp by train, take delivery of the drug and dispose of it on steamers manned by Chinese crews. Skordilis and his accomplices were fined sums amounting to 164000 leva (6000 Swiss gold francs). In addition, a fine of 500 leva (18 Swiss gold francs) was imposed on Skordilis and Marie Kalderini. The opium was all confiscated. No. 938. — Seizure at Singapore on November 24th, 1937. Reference : Among the seizures reported in Singapore during November 1937 C.135.M.80.1938.XI was that of a quantity of prepared opium at a house in Singapore. The [O.C.S.300(/)], page 15. Government of the United Kingdom, on April 23rd, 1938, sent the following O.C.S./Conf. 452, additional information in regard to this seizure : page 4. On November 18th, 1937, information was received that an O.C.S./Conf. 531. attempt would be made to smuggle prepared opium into Singapore in a 15391/388(2). consignment of thirty crated camphor wood chests consigned to Thomas Cook & Son, Ltd. Enquiries elicited that such a consignment had arrived by the s.s. Kul Sang from Hong-Kong for delivery to Wong Chung Kiang of Messrs. Wu Kee Mee Sum, 436, Orchard Road. On November 23rd, two Chinese attempted to make a declaration covering the consignment, but this declaration was refused as neither of them was the consignee. Later on, Wong Chung Kiang came to the office and completed the declaration. The cases were removed on that day from the port to 436, Orchard Road and, in the middle of the night, when it was reported that they were being opened, the premises were raided. Woo Gee Fong, a partner in a business at Kowloon, Hong-Kong, and Wong Chung Kiang, the Singapore Manager of the partnership, were both present, and the prepared opium was found in twelve wall panels inside the carved camphor wood chests. Woo Gee Fong had personally despatched the consignment from Hong-Kong by the s.s. Kut Sang and had then travelled to Singapore by the m.s.