OCR Text |
Show SMUGGLING BY AIR Laredo, Tex. It is the firm conviction convic-tion of Mexican customs officials on tlie lower Rio Grande border that systematic smuggling by means of powerful airplanes is being conducted between that country and the United States. The American authorities on this side of the international boundary boun-dary are not yet convinced that contraband con-traband goods are being carried in this manner from one country to the ttber, although they freely admit that 1: is possible if not very probable that ibis is being done. If evasion of the export and import duties by this means is not already '.icing carried on it is only a question if time when the airplane will be brought into service for that purpose. :t is predicted by custom officials here and at other places on the Mexican border. It is wilh considerable circumstantial circumstan-tial detail that the story is -told of the aerial traffic by ii'' .eshaial river guard stationed at San Ignacio, about sixty miles below Laredo, made a report to his superior officer about three weeks ago that while on duty late at night he saw moving lights pass high above him and heard the whirr of a motor. The object was beaded north and came from some point to the south in Mexico. Similar reports were made by oilier Mexicans who asserted that they saw the strange aerial machine go back and forward across the Rio Grande on several sev-eral different nights. Up to this time ! no corroboration of the stories told by the Mexicans have come from American Ameri-can river guards. It is recommended by the custom authorities of both Mexico and llie United Stales who are on duty along the Rio Grande that airplane control service lie est ahlishod on bulb sides of the river at the earliest possible 1 1 me. |