Police confiscate newspapers on betel nut claims

POLICE confiscated more than 400 copies of The National and Post Courier at Boroko in Port Moresby yesterday morning on suspicion that the vendor was also selling betel nuts and cigarettes.
National Capital District Police Metropolitan commander Supt Perou N’dranou said the vendor had been warned several times before.
“I have warned the vendor four times already not to sell betel nuts and smokes with the newspapers,” he said.
“And this morning I saw a man buying cigarettes from the vendor. He did not buy a newspaper. So I ordered my officers to confiscate the newspapers and bring them to my office”.
N’dranou said the police were working with the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) to clean up the city of betel nut spit and husks.
“That’s why we cut down all the trees in front of the (Boroko) police station to discourage betel nut sellers from doing business under those trees.”
N’dranou said he had good relations with both newspaper companies “but I don’t like the sellers selling anything apart from the newspapers in public places”.
He suggested that both newspapers get licences from the NCDC to sell newspapers in designated places in the city.
This would help the NCDC to monitor the vendors, he said.
He also advised vendors not to ply their trade at road junctions as someone might get injured.
A spokesperson for The National said the company supported efforts to keep the city clean and had published stories and photographs to reinforce the message.
“We supply to retail shops and they obtain a trading licence. The same applies to street vendors in that it’s their responsibility.”