Movement of firearms put security on high alert

Islands

SECURITY personnel monitoring the conduct of the national election in West New Britain are on high alert for the movement of firearms and other weapons to the counting centres, provincial police commander Supt Jim Namora says.
He said during the weekend, in anticipation of an early declaration and possible confrontation by rival groups, supporters went to the counting centres in truckloads.
“With them came assorted weapons including firearms and ammunition.”
He said on Sunday night, intelligence sources confirmed a large number of suspicious vehicles and people going from door to door at Gigo and Section 10 in search of ammunition to buy.
By early yesterday morning, a mobile squad unit from Rabaul and set up roadblocks between Wandoro and Numundo on the Talasea Highway to seize all weapons including slingshots, firearms, bush knives, and string slings for hurling large projectiles from all vehicles entering town.
A section of the naval mobile squad 19 and the traffic unit set up another roadblock along the Aling-Kumbango-Nahavio section.
“These roadblocks will be removed if and when tension at the counting centre subsides or when new orders are issued.”