HE counter-smuggling measures recently adopted by the Central Government indicate a new phase in: the battle between the Chinese Maritime Customs and the smuggling rings in North China, according to authoritative information obtained by Reuter.
Foiled in their efforts to check the influx of contraband through the so-called "autonomous" state of East Hopei as a result of the' enforced withdrawal of their armed forces ashore and afloat, Customs officials are henceforth to devote their energies to preventing distribution of the smuggled goods to markets southward and westward of the area immediately affected.
The plan calls for close liaison between the Customs and the railway authorities with the object of ensuring control over the movement of illicit cargoes outwards from Tientsin.
Concerted measures to that end will, it Is hoped, be put into effect in the near future as a result of dis-New Railway' Regulations cussions between the parties con-Nanking. May cerned during the past few days. It The Ministry of Railways to-day understood that these measures In-announced measures for the checking clude the provision of special facili-of smuggling by. unscrupulous rally les by the railways for the exominaway employees, it was learned hers! tion, of goods on trains and in station to-day. yards, and refusal to accept mer-'A. set of regulations governing the chandise not authorized by the punishment of such railway workers, Customs. drafted by the Ministry, was approved this morning by the Executive Yuan.
The plan, if successful, is expected to inflict considerable joss on the smuggling organizations by bottling Banks Take a Hand up accumulated contraband in the Hsuchow, May 24. overstocked Tientsin market as well With the promulgation of new fatcguarding revenue interests Government regulations against smug-southward of Tientsin, a ling, contrabandisis in Hsuchow are It is hoped by this means, parly nding the greatest dim culty in dis-Posing of their illicit. goods. fat least, to counteract the handicaps Local banks have refused to grant under Which the Customs are now advances to merchants suspected of operating in North China as a result. dealing in smuggled goods. Only of political conditions, including the those who can produce evidence. of Inability of the Peiping-Mukden rail-the legitimate nature of their trade way, which is the main channel for the influx of contraband through East Hopel as far as Tientsin, to cooperate effectively. mised to alt illicit trame de Adoption of the new plan does not help in bringing unscrupulous mer~ algnity that the Customs authorities chants to their" senses, despite the have abandoned their contention that. alluring profits, from contraband the preventive service, organized in the meantime, streams of Japa~ under' the direction of Sir Frederick. nese and Koreans' continue to pour Maze, Inspector-General of Customs, rauld check the smuggling in North China by the exercise of its normal Into Hsuchow from the North. They are receiving the closest attention of the local authorities—Central News, They point to the fact that olsen where in China, where preventive ships are allowed to operate unhindered and Customs officers ashore may carry arms, the service has amply. proved its effectiveness.—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.