Custom losing millions

 THE PNG Customs Services says millions of kina are forgone annually as there is no constant monitoring done by its officers along border areas.  

Chief commissioner Ray Paul when responding to a recent article in The National said there was no infrastructure in place at Weam, Western, and along PNG-Indonesian border, West Sepik.

“The Customs port of Vanimo collected K43 million last year and not K18 million as reported. 

“However, the actual revenue collected would be significantly less than the amount foregone through smuggling activities along the unmonitored areas of the border each year.”

He said although PNG Customs had funded positions, officers were yet to be recruited to those respective posts.

“People have taken advantage of this by smuggling goods across the border either through the abuse of the traditional border crosser (TBC) permits or by crossing illegally. 

“This is largely due to the fact that law enforcement agencies, including Customs, do not have the required resources and manpower to monitor the entire length of the border.” 

Paul said the way forward was to start conducting regular joint agency patrols along land-border to monitor movement of people and to conduct awareness. 

He said another dilemma PNG Customs faced was that while PNG’s northern border was manned at Wutung border post, much of surrounding sea and inland areas were not monitored.