Aust man’s drug case adjourned for parties to argue law

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
THE Boroko District Court has adjourned Sanctuary Hotel manager Jamie Pang’s case to Tuesday for the defence counsel and the police prosecutor to argue the law that he was charged under.
Pang’s lawyer Simon Nutley told the court that his client was still innocent because the section of the Dangerous Drug Act that was used to charge him did not say anything about methamphetamine, so it did not make sense for his client’s case to progress.
Magistrate Garry Unjo told the prosecutor and Pang’s lawyer that they could argue on the law next week to see if prosecution had a case.
Police Prosecutor Sgt Sandra Holland told the court that the defendant’s submission on the two charges was also presented to her in the court room so Sgt Holland needed time to go through the fine points to make her submission.
Police alleged that on Nov 16, at 6.30am, Pang was at his residence at Sanctuary Hotel when police and Customs officers taking part in a joint operation called “Saki Bomb” conducted a raid using a search warrant.
The team arrived at the hotel car park and identified him at the park where he was served the search warrant.
He accompanied police and Customs officers and search was conducted on targeted areas inside the hotel premises. The team discovered the mini clandestine laboratory he used to produce methamphetamine.
The production was still in progress and Pang admitted that the dangerous drug producing laboratory in the room and everything was his.
He said the team then condoned the room and called for a drug expertise from the police forensic team who went to the lab, making sure the room was safe for search.
The search team also seized four guns that were concealed inside a black guitar bag and red cloth and hidden under a bed.
Further search was conducted and 150 grams of white substance was discovered inside a shipping container that was used as a tools and equipment storage shed.
On Nov 19, the white substance it was taken to the Customs testing facility and was tested and the test came out positive for methamphetamine.