MEMORANDUM BY M. R. G. CULLODEN, ASSISTANT COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS AND SUPERINTENDENT OF THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE, RANGOON, ON THE SMUGGLING OF GANJA INTO RANGOON.

Ganja has always been considered a prohibited drug in Burma. The prohibition of its importation has so far been successful that the drue. has been kept out of the local market to a considerable extent ; this is proved by the fact that whenever traced to any one possessing it, only very small quantities of the drug have been found on them.

That there exists a demand for the article and that high prices are paid for it no one can deny ; this is testified to by the many attempts that are made to smuggle it into the country, and on which even the heavy penalties inflicted on detected cases do not appear to have any deterrent effect.

From the statement of seizures of ganja during the past five years, it will be seen that the illicit traffic is kept up with more or less regularity, the largest quantities coming from the Madras Coast. Advantage has also been talen of smuggling the drug by post.

There are many amongst the consumers who cannot do without the drug, the want being felt by them as much as the want of alcohol is by persons addicted to its use. The following will illustrate this. A Madrassi sepoy was once brought up for being in possession of 3 tolas weight of ganja, be cried as though his very existence was at stake when told that the drug would be confiscated. He said that if it was taken from him, he would be unable to perform his duities, and as he was ordered to a station in Upper Burma, where it was impossible to obtain it he would die. He declared that he only indulged in very small quantities at a time and that it did him no harm. I have seen several similar instances of a craving for the drug, the accused in such cases being more willing to submit to a fine than be deprived of the ganja. From my experience I am inclined to believe that the moderate consumption of the drug has not the demoralising effect imputed to it, though I would not venture to assert that there would not be a tendency to the abuse of the drug, if thé prohibition was removed.

Punjabis, Pathans, natives of Upper India and Madrassi sepoys are those addicted to the use of ganja. The attempts at smuggling have been more frequent since the introduction of the Punjabi element in the police force ; this is no doubt owing to a greater demand for the article. Judging from the physique of the latter race of men it would appear that the moderate indulgence in the use of the drug is attended with no ill effects.

No case of Burmans making use of ganja has even been brought to my notice. Hemp is grown in Upper Burma, and Burmans, if they choose, could use it as a narcotic without let or hindrance. The Burma ganja is said to be inferior in quality to that obtained in India, hence it is not valued so much by the natives of India and smuggling is, therefore, likely to be always resort:A to as a means of getting the latter article into Rangoon.

The following recent cases of seizure indicate how ganja is smuggled. On the 6th July 1893 the customs preventive officers, acting on informatioa, searched the S.S. Camorta from Madras, and found 5,181 t.-)las of ganja packed in tin cases concealed inside the paint lockers in the forecastle of the steamer. As this part of the ship is occupied by the crew, they were charged with having brought it on board, but they disclaimed liability and consequently penalty of 500 rupees was inflicted on the vessel, in accordance with the orders of the Government of India as per letter No. 5205, dated Simla, 10th October 1889, the amount being recoverable rateably from the wages of the crew. On the 21st of the same month, or 15 days later, another large seizure was made, the ganja weighing 6,613 tolas and packed in tins was found concealed partly in the lazarette and partly inside the linen locker of the 8.8. Scindia from Madras. The captain banded over the butler of the first-class saloon as the guilty one, the key of the locker having been in his possession. The accused was convicted and sentenced by the Magistrate to pay a fine of 500 rupees, and this not being paid, he was sent to prison for three months and 20 days. On the 21st August last as much as 11,760 tolas of ganja were found in two cases landed as passengers luggage ex S.S. Nowshera from Madras. The gunner of Brooking Street wharf was implicated, as on landing those boxes he declared that they belonged to him. He was sentenced by the Magistrate to three months' imprisonment and to pay a fine of Rs. 500. His accomplice, a native, who brought the ganja by the steamer as his luggage was awarded two months' imprisonment. On the 18th of last month 2,420 tolas of ganja were found in a case declared to contain a sewing machine. The case was in transit from Madr is to Mandalay and was consigned to a native at the latter place. It was allowed to go on to its destination and'intimation having been sent by telegram to the Deputy Commissioner there, two natives who came and took delivery of the case were arrested. There has since been another seizure of 3,360 toles of ganja, the drug being found in a box declared to contain shoes intended for Mandalay. The case was dealt with in a similar manner to the foregoing one, but the result is not yet known.

In 1888-89 the number of seizures was abnormally high, the aggregate quantity of ganja weighing as much as 17,753 tolas, and may be accounted for by the influx of a large body of native (Punjabi and Madrassi) troops consequent on the annexation of Upper Burma.

The following statement shows the seizures of ganja during the last five years, also during the first eight months of 1893-91