22 foreigners face deportation

Main Stories

IMMIGRATION and Border Security Minister Petrus Thomas has announced that 22 foreigners convicted by the Goroka District Court for breaching the PNG Immigration Act will be deported to their countries.
Thomas said the Act covered Customs, Labour, Censorship and Investment Promotion Authority.
“Up to 5000 confiscated items including sexual ointments, nude photos of women on gas lighters, prohibited CDs and other illegal items confiscated by Customs and Censorship were destroyed.
“Police have also charged a Chinese national for being in possession of live ammunitions and pornographic material and his co-worker was charged for being in possession of two police-issued gas grenades.”
Thomas acknowledged the joint interagency team operation in Eastern Highlands last week that successfully concluded a week- long spot-check operation targeting businesses that resulted in more than 20 arrests made.
“I commend the efforts made by the government team led by Immigration and Citizenship Authority (ICA) who carried out a remarkable operation to identify and apprehend foreign nationals who breached the Migration Act and the laws of this country whilst working and operating businesses.”
The Joint Agency Spot Check Operations (JASCO) was carried out by Immigration, Customs, Labour, Bank of PNG, Investment Promotion Authority, Censorship Board, Internal Revenue Commission, ICCC and the Police”.
Thomas said at the end of the seven-day operations covering Yonki, Kainantu, Henganofi, Asaro, Lufa and Goroka town, the Jasco team checked over 100 foreign-owned business houses and companies.
“A total of 22 arrests were made mainly for breach of visa and work permit conditions and appropriate charges were laid. “I thanked the Goroka District Court magistrate for prioritising the 22 cases in which 16 foreigners were successfully convicted with their bail money of K5000 each converted as court fines.
“The remaining six will appear in court soon.”
Thomas stressed that foreign nationals who breached the Migration Act and if successfully convicted by the courts would be deported.