§ Mr. MORRISasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the organised traffic in drugs which is carried on in London by Chinese and Japanese agents; and what steps he proposes to take to suppress this dangerous smuggling at the ports of entry and also the distribution of the drugs by undesirable aliens in the West End of London?
§ Mr. SHORTTInformation is received from time to time that opium, cocaine, and other drugs are smuggled into the country, or sent through the post, from the continent, and it is known that Chinese seamen and others are addicted to the opium habit, but the police are not aware of any organised traffic. Every effort is made to detect offenders, but short of opening all incoming passengers' luggage, the minute search of every passenger, and the examination of every postal package, I am afraid it will not be possible to suppress entirely the illicit introduction of drugs into this country as long as it is possible to obtain them without difficulty in other countries. The matter is one in which international co-operation is essential and the whole question is engaging the attention of the League of Nations, which has been entrusted by the Treaties of Peace with the general supervision of the traffic in opium and other dangerous drugs.