17 deported

Main Stories

THE State has cancelled the visas of 17 foreigners employed by a company in Port Moresby, and ordered their deportation based on a “very concerning report” by the National Narcotics Bureau.
Immigration and Border Security Minister Petrus Thomas in a statement yesterday said the decision was based on “national security concerns”.
“I have used my powers under the Migration Act based on national security concerns, given the rampant and increasing incidences of the importation, production and sale of counterfeit products, to deport the foreigners associated with the company (named),” Thomas said.
A team of officials from various government agencies led by the police visited the company factory in Port Moresby last Friday to check on the legality of its operations.
Thomas said 14 of the 17 foreigners were “currently out of the country and their employer will deliver copies of these orders informing them that they no longer have the right to return to work and reside in this country”.
He said the Immigration Department would be working with other law-enforcement agencies including the narcotics bureau and police to properly investigate the allegation that the company was manufacturing “illicit cigarettes”.
A report on the investigation findings will be provided to the Government.
“A decision will be made on issuing further visas for the company if they are cleared,” he said.
“We cannot continue to allow this country to be run by transnational criminal syndicates that import and sell low-quality and hazardous counterfeit goods to our people endangering their health.”
Thomas said the Government was losing billions of kina through the operations of “illegal businesses with foreigners involved”.
“We will put a taskforce in place immediately under the joint agency spot check operation arrangement to investigate, prosecute and deal with illicit trade that also involves movement of transnational criminals facilitated by criminal syndicates in the country,” he said.
“The moratorium on foreigners employed in reserved positions in the retail sector and in the SME-related businesses has been in place since 2017 and Immigration will continue to enforce that, to ensure foreign businesses recruit locally.”
Thomas warned foreigners living and working here to “abide by the laws of the country”. Those who engage in illegal activities will be deported, he said.