Police arrest 4 over drug

By JIMMY KALEBE
THE Lae police drug squad on Thursday arrested four people after allegedly catching them trying to smuggle into Lae 4.3kg of marijuana at a 9-Mile checkpoint.
Officer-in-charge of the drug squad Snr Sgt Bonny Manaup said the street value of the drug was about K7,000 if sold in K1, K5 or K10 packs.
He said while police were stopping PMV buses travelling from Madang and the Highlands into Lae early yesterday, they nabbed the first suspect who allegedly had a concealed pack in his string bag.
“They were boarding the PMV somewhere in Goroka and were heading into Lae when we caught up with them at the checkpoint,” he said.
Two huge packs were hidden inside a sugar cane bundle and some inside a green bag
Snr Sgt Manaup said all four suspects were in police custody and charged with possession of dangerous drug.
Police had been carrying out awareness on drug cultivation, consumption and sale and its negative impact on the community, with increasing law and order problems.
Snr Sgt Manaup said over the last six months, police had made more than seven arrests of traffickers coming into Lae from other provinces to sell marijuana or transfer it to Northern or other New Guinea Islands provinces.
“This trafficking of drugs is happening every day and those involved in the trade are truck and PMV drivers, their crews and travelling passengers.”
He said most marijuana was coming from the Highlands region through people living away from the provinces who tried to exchange it for store goods, mobile phones and other valuables.
He warned smugglers, those carrying weapons and travellers that police would keep a close eye on them.