British officials noted the unrestrained influx of new smugglers was greatly alarming the Chinese .
Were unable to rein Chinese in before the viceroy Lin Zexu placed the foreign factories under complete blockade , demanding the surrender of all opium held in the Pearl River Delta .
British officials noted the unrestrained influx of new smugglers was greatly alarming the Chinese but were unable to rein them in before the viceroy Lin Zexu placed the foreign factories under complete blockade , demanding the surrender of all opium held in the Pearl River Delta .