8 foreigners nabbed
EIGHT Indonesians have been arrested for allegedly breaching state of emergency (SOE) regulations and illegally entering PNG to buy Gulama fish in Western, acting South Fly police commander Snr Insp Evai Segi says.
“Three were arrested at Wariobidoro village on Kiwai Island on April 30 and five were arrested along the Bamu River on Saturday,” he said.
They have been detained and waiting for further investigation.
Two locals were also arrested for escorting and providing security for the Indonesians nabbed along the Bamu River.
But they escaped from police custody.
“I’m concerned that locals are not afraid of the Covid-19 which is rampant in the Indonesian border communities and are facilitating this illegal trading,” Snr Insp Segi said.
“And what I’m also concerned about is these Indonesians were arrested far away from the border and right in the centre of the district.
“Indonesians have to travel about 12 hours (about 160 nautical miles) by dinghy to come to Bamu, which is now the main trading area for the Gulama fish.
“Right now, it is Gulama season and prices are soaring in black markets (more than US$400 or about K1,342 per kg) in Merauke city and locals are facilitating this trade and not reporting to the joint police-PNG Defence Force boat team that was deployed from Port Moresby last week by the Covid-19 SOE Controller David Manning.”
Snr Insp Segei said due to the high demand for Gulama in restaurants in Merauke city, locals were now demanding chainsaws and generators apart from the normal trading items such as rice, sugar, salt and other store goods.
“And the Indonesians poachers are more than willing to give them these items for Gulama.”
Snr Insp Segi said the Indonesians caught at Wariobidoro village were taken to Daru and detained at the police station.
“But the Indonesians caught at Bamu have not been brought in yet because the police boat had developed mechanical problems.”
Meanwhile Snr Insp Segi has expressed concern of reports that police deployed to Bamu were allegedly buying Gulama from locals.
“I’m calling on people in the district to report to me of such practice.”
One thought on “8 foreigners nabbed”
These 8 Indonesians have breached the SOE regulations. There is no question to that, they should be put to prison. Also, law enforcement officers are deployed to keep watch to make sure that the country is safe from the pandemic, not to do other illegal stuff as mentioned above in the statement on buying Gulama from locals. We have to be careful with people crossing the boarder during this period, one flip and this disease will wipe out the country’s population.
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