Detection operation continues

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Reports by CLIFFORD FAIPARIK

A FOREIGNER was yesterday arrested for alleged possession of a locally-made pornographic movie, as a government team continues to expose the shady and illegal activities of some foreigners in Port Moresby.
The team of officers from PNG Customs, Labour Department, Investment Promotion Authority, National Capital District Commission, Police, Bank of PNG and the Censorship Office are into the sixth day of a special operation in which they conduct spot checks on suspicious foreign-owned businesses.
Yesterday, the officers also found more evidence of foreigners marrying and using local women as a front to start businesses so as to avoid paying high company taxes.
So far, the team has:

  • Questioned a number foreign workers for allegedly breaching their work permits and visa conditions;
  • confiscated two vehicles allegedly smuggled into the country in a container by an Asian businessman;
  • uncovered a suspected prostitution racket involving Asian girls;
  • abuse of local women employed by foreign-owned companies who were paid below the minimum wage rate;
  • uncovered filthy kitchens of eateries;
  • uncovered tax-evasion practices by companies; and,
  • Uncovered unlicensed business operations.

The foreigner arrested yesterday was detained at the Boroko Police Station.
His phone which contained explicit images of sexual activities involving locals was confiscated by police.
He is expected to appear in court soon.
In another development, a local woman married to an expatriate and who had registered their business under her name was yesterday told by officials that it had been changed to her husband’s name.
The woman said the business was registered under her name and that she owned it.
She had been married to her expatriate husband for more than 10 years.
However, when IPA officers checked their registry, they discovered that only the name of her husband was there.
A government officer requesting anonymity said it was not the first case they had encountered in the past week.
“After the business becomes successfully operational, the foreigners then changed the records with the Investment Promotion Authority to remove their local wife as the owner and take over the business without the wife’s knowledge,” the officer said.
The officer said expatriate husbands usually picked a semi-educated woman to register the business under her name.
“Because registering as a locally-owned business, the IPA or Internal Revenue Commission may express leniency in demanding business taxes unlike foreign-operated businesses.
“Also locally-owned businesses can acquire commercial loans from the National Development Bank to expand.”
The operation began following a public outcry over the influx of foreigners occupying businesses reserved for locals.
They discovered foreign employees doing jobs which locals can do such as cashiers.
But their work permit has their designations as managers.