Filipinos each fined K3,000 for illegal entry

By ABIGAIL APINA
THE 150 Filipino fishermen arrested without valid passports or visas while fishing in PNG waters just over a week ago were each fined K3,000 in the Kimbe District Court last Friday.
They were all found guilty of being in the country illegally.
Each facing the fine will be jailed for six months if they did not pay their fines.
All of them were ordered to remain on board their fishing vessels, guarded by police and navy officers, until they paid the fines.
The fishermen did not have valid passports or visas when they were found fishing in the PNG waters on Dec 1.
West New Britain police commander Samson Siguyaru said the Filipinos were on seven foreign fishing vessels belonging to Trans-Pacific Fishing Corporation, a company based in Manila.
The arrests had resulted from the Safe Papua New Guinea operation carried out by the PNG Customs and involved police, labour and employment, navy and quarantine officers.
The officers went to Kimbe onboard PNG Navy Boat 02 and searched the vessels.
The boats were between Talasea Bulu Point and Bali Vitu Island.
Siguyaru said although the vessels had valid licences to fish in PNG waters, the crew did not have valid passports or visas.