Friendly Telephone Call that Came too Late That a fine of $1,000 is no bar to continuance of a nicely established opium business was proved at the Mixed Court on Saturday, when Ling Ah-nyi, described as a cotton yarn merchant, of 499 Thibet Road, was charged with dealing in the drug. The accused, an emaciated young man, himself addicted to opium, was defended by Dr. A O. Fisher.
According to the police evidence, there was no sale going on when the raid was made, but opium was found, scissors for cutting and scales for weighing, as well as an account book showing items of opium sales.
Whilst the police were in the house the telephone bell rang. It was answered by a Chinese detective, who received an order for opium. Shortly afterwards, the bell rang again and this time the detective received a message from '"'some person unknown" warning the accused that the police were about to yaid his shop and advising him to get out of the way "chop chop."
Accused admitted that a year ago he was fined $1,000 for a similar offence. On that occasion, his books showed sales of opium to the extent of $23,000 in three months.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.