Betel nut, items to be destroyed

BETEL nuts, and any other perishable items may be seized and destroyed during routine checkpoints or searches of vehicles by authorised officers, an official says.
Controller of the state of emergency and Commissioner of Police David Manning issued this notice as part of its emergency order 14 in relation to the seizing of aircraft, vehicles, vessels and perishable goods.
Comm Manning said any aircraft, vehicle or vessel that was found or suspected to be transporting these designated goods or transporting persons in breach of travel restrictions would be seized and impounded for the period of the state of emergency.
He said until the end of the national emergency, all aircraft, vehicles and vessels confiscated and impounded would be returned to their owners as soon as practical, and if the owners could no longer be located, the government could auction them off.
“I appeal to the public to cooperate with us,” he said.
“There is no need for such laws to come into effect.
“However, the Covid-19 pandemic is a national crisis and we have to take all precautions to ensure the disease does not spread.
“So far, there has been one imported and one local case of Covid-19 infection. I pray that these will be the only two recorded in PNG.”