Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Monday 14 April 1947, page 1


PARIS BLACKMARKETEER HAD TURNOVER OF £126,000 MONTHLY

PARIS, Sunday.

A high French official estimated the turnover of alleged black market currency deals by the mystery man, Max Intrator, at £156,000 monthly.

Hntrator is awaiting trial as chief of an international currency smuggling ring.

The official said that the French police did not believe that Intrator was interested in financing Jewish illegal organisations, Irgun Zvai Leumi or Haganah. He was simply in the blackmarket currency business in a big way

The police have arrested five others

in connection with the affair

Intrator denied, through his lawyer, that he had financed illegal Jewish immigration into Palestine with the proceeds of alleged illegal dealings in currency

Intrator, aged 36, was born in Her I lin and is stateless He holds no national passport

The magistrate, who examined In

trator stated that charges against him I were limited to currency offences in France They had nothing to do with any activities in Palestine

Ditrator's lawyer claimed that a British court could not try his client once a French court had convicted or acquitted him

The French would not be obliged to

surrender him even if the British sought extradition on political grounds

Intrator, through an associate who called at the gaol, said that newspaper reports of his profits were exaggerated He claimed that between May, 1946, when he allegedly begin operations, until December, when he was arrested in Paris, that his profits did not exceed £60,000 to £80,000

The associate denied any connection between Intrator and Joanovici who recently disappeared when the police were anxious to interview him regarding his alleged fantastic dealings during the German occupation

Intrator speaks several languages fluently and has friends in many

countries

The- "Evening News" says the story that the British Treasury has frozen Max Intrator's assets in Britain is officially denied An official pointed out that no charges had been made against Intrator in Britain and none were proposed at this stage

Chief Inspector Tarr, of Scotland Yard, at present in Switzerland, will remain there to help Swiss inquiries into currency infringements Geneva has been mentioned as the possible headquarters of intrator s organisation.