Duo charged with illegal coffee trade

TWO men from Chuave district in Chimbu were arrested and charged with illegal coffee cherry trading last week.
They will appear in the Kundiawa district court today.
Both were alleged to have ignored an ongoing general awareness by the Coffee Industry Corp (CIC) on the ban.
They were alleged to have been involved in illegal trading despite the awareness campaign.
Last week, a combined operation involving officers from the Chuave police and coffee inspectors resulted in the arrest of the two men and further confiscation of several bags of cherry and parchment coffee, including coffee pulpers.
CIC inspectors described the confiscated coffee as being “substandard” that would compromise coffee quality.
Section 21 (1) of the CIC Statutory Functions and Powers Act imposes a fine not exceeding K1,000, or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.
However, an offender charged with defying or not complying with a declaration made through the national gazette relating to illegal coffee trading in restricted areas under Section 20 (1) of the Act faces a fine of K5,000.
Several offenders in Eastern Highlands charged under the Act have already been convicted and fined by the Goroka District Court.
Some notable owners of coffee processing facilities have also been fined under the CIC’s industry regulations and Compliance rules and regulations.
The enforcement of the ban continues and police and CIC officers have issued warnings to people who ignore such bans that they tend to face hefty penalties if caught and charged.
They added that theft of coffee cherries even by school children was triggered by illegal  buying in the villages.
Police warned that should any conflict arise from illegal buying, those responsible would face the full force of the law.