Note
Notes: United Press (UP) article published on page 1, The Daily Argus, Mount Vernon, N.Y., Friday, January 6, 1939.
====
TRAP SPRUNG
ON DOPE MOB
3 Taken in New York With
$150,000 in Opium
NEW YORK, (UP)—Policemen,
disguised as criminals and aided by
Coast Guardsmen and customs
agents, sprang a trap on a smuggling
mob early today, captured
three men and seized $150,000 worth
of opium after a gun battle on the
Brooklyn watenfront.
One policeman was wounded.
The opium was brought here on
the S.S. Ida, from Italy, and was
transferred in the harbor to a launch
at midnight during a rain storm.
The smugglers thought their own
men were aboard the launch but it
was manned by policemen in disguise.
The climax came an hour later
when the policemen took the cans
of opium to the pier and kept the
rendezvous with the smugglers' shore
gang there to receive it. In setting
the trap, the whole area had been
surrounded with federal and city
agents in cutters, launches and automobiles.
Fifteen authorities took
part in the gun battle and more
than 100 shots were fired.
The Ida meanwhile had proceeded
to dock in Hoboken and federal
agents boarded her and took off
three Italian sailors.
The capture had been planned
elaborately, and represented fictionlike
sleuthing of Detectives Everett
Runey and Richard Brennan of the
Brooklyn force, who heard rumors
of the opium ring three months
ago, volunteered, and were assigned
to smash it.
====
Original or Copy: Original
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2014-12-09
