District confiscates more than K20,000 worth of betel nuts

MORE than K20,000 worth of betel nuts were disposed of in the sea after the bags were confiscated by the Namatanai coordination centre in New Ireland recently.
The trading of betel nuts has been banned under the current state of emergency period.
According to a statement from Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt’s media unit, a woman in possession of 22 bags of betel nuts was caught by the Namatanai coordination centre officials.
It was stated that the woman was bound for Lihir on a boat when the Namatanai coordination centre received a tip-off by locals at Bo village near Namatanai town.
A 50kg bag of buai would fetch around K2,000 on average and K1,000 per 10kg bag on the streets and markets in Lihir.