By ELIZABETH VUVU
A SUCCESSFUL raid by Customs and Immigration officers on illegal workers and immigrants in Manus last weekend discovered several Chinese nationals illegally living in the country without valid documents.
Provincial administrator Wep Kanawi confirmed this saying investigating officers from the Customs and Immigration office in Port Moresby had travelled into the province to check out the status of Chinese nationals living in the country and whether they had valid passports, work permits and other necessary documents.
He said a handful of Chinese nationals in the province were in business partnership with local people.
The investigating team working under the operation code-named, Operation Rausim Alien had been tracking down illegal aliens mainly Asians throughout the country.
According to a reliable source, three Chinese nationals have been locally deported from Manus to Port Moresby to sort out their documents.
Reportedly the three had entered the country on tourist visas to work in the country and their work permits had already expired.
Another two Chinese nationals had also entered the country with Chinese passports and were doing business in Lorengau.
The source said the illegal Chinese nationals were allegedly involved in a retail business syndicate that had tentacles nationwide and were also believed to be part of a passport and visa scam racket .