Ten alleged imitation foreign cigarette manufacturers and dealers who have been supplying the various gambling dens in the western district. with imitation goods faced the First Special District Court yesterday for trial but in view of the fact that the police still wanted to arrest the ringleader of the gang, hearing was postponed sine die pending further investigations, and all accused were remanded in custody.
Two of the accused were first arrested while they were walking in North Thibet Road carrying some imitation, cigarettes which they intended to send to a gambling house in Nantao. Through their alleged confession, the police later arrested the other oecused at House No, 32 Lane 830 Peking Road, which, it was alleged, was used by the ringleader as his residence, The factory of the gang was said to be located near the Ching Shih Tu Miao, a temple in the western district. Many imitation "Three Castles," "Capstan" and "Garrick" cigarettes were seized by the police.
Most of the gambling houses have been supplying good foreign cigar-eftes which are highly priced. They seldom ask their customers to pay for them, According to a Chinese report, the supply of such cigarettes was recently stopped for some unknown reason. Merchants have been hoarding such foreign cigarettes Which has resulted in their prices being greatly increased,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.