Basil: Govt must fight growing lawlessness

 DEPUTY Opposition leader Sam Basil has called on the Government to wake up to the threats of illegal drug trading, money laundering and human trafficking.

“PNG’s law enforcement agencies, including our very own National Narcotics Control Bureau lack capacity and Government support to combat those illegal activities, which is getting out of control,” Basil said.

He said the bureau board had not been appointed since 2003. And the National Narcotics Bureau office and operations had been abused by officers and staff, with millions of kina wasted on salaries and entitlements.

Basil said investigations were initiated by the Department of Finance and the Department of PM and NEC into the operations of the bureau.

The investigations concluded that there were gross abuse of office, financial mismanagement, lack of supervision and no control over the affairs of the bureau. 

“It is common that drugs and guns normally changes hands along our international borders, which also includes money laundering and human trafficking.”