Drug smugglers nabbed

By JUNIOR UKAHA
POLICE caught three men trying to smuggle K30,000 worth of dried marijuana into Western province last Thursday.
Rex Angabe, 21; John Tandagia, 25, and Talibe Tawije, 25, all from Waralo village, Tari, Hela province, were caught by Balimo police at Kabili Creek at the mouth of Aramia River after a tip-off.
The trio was charged with one count each of being in possession of illegal drugs.
Provincial police commander Silva Sika said Angabe, Tandagia and Tawije had been refused bail and would appear in court today or tomorrow.
“If found guilty, they can spend up to two years in jail,” Sika said.
Police said the men boarded a Mission Aviation Fellowship plane in Mt Hagen and landed at Kawito Mission Station, in Middle Fly, last Thursday afternoon.
Police said MAF staff at the airstrip got suspicious.
They contacted police in Balimo who intercepted them and confiscated 5kg of marijuana.
“We could not establish why the drugs were smuggled into the province,” Sika said.
“It could be traded for guns across the border or sold.”
Sika warned drug traffickers operating in the province, saying police would not be easy on them.