Duo caught with drugs

By PISAI GUMAR
TWO men have been arrested and charged in Lae with being in possession of marijuana while trying to board a vessel for West New Britain last Thursday.
They were held by JB Security guards and handed over to police at the Lutheran Shipping terminal at Voco Point as they tried to board the mv Maneba.
One was a  22-year-old, who claimed to be a student of Kimbe Secondary School, and the other was his cousin, 23, both from Kumun village in Yangoru, East Sepik.
Police said the two gave their address as Matamong block, Kilenge, in Kimbe, West New Britain.
They were arrested with two Manila Vuitton bags and a rucksack containing nine shopping plastic bags and four bundles that had tightly packed dried marijuana leaves.
They were about to board the ship when the strong smell of marijuana was detected.
“In the bags were nothing but just compacted parcels of drugs,” the guard, who refused to give his name, said later.
After police interrogation, the two said they had bought the marijuana for K150 at Yang Creek, at the foot of Kassam Pass, at the border of Morobe and Eastern Highlands.
Police estimated the street value of the drugs to be about K50,000.
Officer-in-charge of criminal investigation, Isaac Mol said that Yang Creek was known as the trade centre for weapons and drugs for five highlands and the three Momase provinces.
“The exchange of money for drugs and weapons takes place at Yang Creek,” he said.
The two men will appear in court today.