Other. Papua New Guinea press review
The Navy of Papua New Guinea (PNG) intercepted an unidentified foreign vessel in waters off New Ireland, fired at it when it ignored orders to stop, injuring one of its crew members. One of the crew members of a foreign ship was injured. According to PNG Defence Force Chief of Staff Captain Philip Polewara, the foreign vessel which was unregistered was then escorted back to Kavieng Port (New Ireland Province) by naval officers. Only one crew member on board was able to speak English. Police officers from Port Moresby accompanied by members of the Australian Federal Police arrived in the province to investigate the incident. [1]
It is assumed that the ship was carrying drugs worth about K1.47 billion (US$420 million) in Australian waters. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations Donald Yamasombi, the Australian police and border authorities and the PNG police believe it was the vessel which took bags of cocaine and offloaded them near Lord Howe Island in Australia to a commercial fishing vessel Coralynne. [2]
However, a total of 21 foreigners mainly, Indonesians, Malaysians and Filipinos were arrested and locked up at the capital of Oro Province (Northern Province) Popondetta Police Cells. They were all charged for breaching immigration laws and apprehended at separate logging sites. The team, comprising Police National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Directorate and Immigration officers, identified serious discrepancies in the manner in which entry visa and work permits were obtained. Logging camps around the country in recent times have become hot spots for alleged illegal activities. [3-4]
Oro Province (Northern Province) Governor Gary Juffa says that companies that habitually breach PNG laws should be banned from doing business in the country and persons who breach migration and labour laws should be blacklisted and deported immediately. Mr. Juffa thanked Immigration and Border Security Minister Westly Nukundj for sanctioning a joint operation to investigate foreigners working at logging sites, especially in Oro Province. [5-6]
[1] https://www.thenational.com.pg/drama-at-sea/
[2] https://www.thenational.com.pg/vessel-linked-to-drug-bust/
[3] https://www.kalangfm.com/news/21-foreigners-held-in-popondetta-cells-937
[4] https://emtv.com.pg/21-asians-arrested-and-charged/
[5] https://www.thenational.com.pg/juffa-ban-companies-breaching-law/
[6] https://postcourier.com.pg/ban-companies-that-breach-png-laws-juffa/
