Basle, Nov. 20.
Important disclosures regarding the activities of international drug traffickers are expected from the trial of Dr. Fritz Mueller whic opened here to-day before a crowd:
court. Dr, Mueller is charged with having "been the European of an international drug ting which, between 1925 and 1929, exported vast quantities of heroine, cocaine, morphia and other drugs to the Near and Far East, as well to South America, Here he was arrested nearly two years ago on information laid by Gangerous drug experts of the League of Nations who had tepeatedly come across Dr. Mueller's name in the course of their secret investigations, From all over the world evidence was collected showing Dr. Mueller to have been the European representative of the gang and of having led a luxurious life on the proceeds of the traffic. It was ascertained that the, ring owned about a dozen cargo boats, registered under various flags, and plying regularly between European and Far Eastern and South Amer-jean ports, freighted with general merchandise, accepted at cut rates, and always carrying large consignments of narcotics.
The international head of the gang is said to have been a Japanese named Sugino Mashayosho, ing at Kobe, allegedly an owner of licensed quafters in Japan and of many dong of vice along the China coast, His chief lieutenant, according to the indictment, is one Josepiv Rankin, once a Russian and now Austrian, Altogether thirteen persons are mentioned by name in the indictment drawn up. by the persecution now being tried. these, however, only seven be "arrested and "are Mueller' con defendants "including his wife. All seven defendants pleaded not guilty, asserting that they are the Vvietims of a cleverly laid plot. The proceedings are being watched by Aangerons drug exper attached (9 the Opium Commission tha Longue of Nations, When er:
{for the prosecution, Mueller admitted that one one occasion he had handed, at Geneva, heroin to the value of 200,000 Swiss francs to a man named Borella, and that this con-hough from the questions 1 it would appear that he is suspected to be a diplomat who smuggled the drug out of Switzer~ Jand into China in his diplomatic baggage.
Another of the defendants, Swiss named Weidemann, who, also niet Borella, likewise refused give the slightest hint as to hie identity, persisting in his refusal throughout four hours of severe eross-examination, always skillfully: evading all leading questions on the part of the prosecution—Trans-Ocean Kuo Mi
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.