Police looking into fishy deals

POLICE in Gulf are investigating the illegal sale of fish to vendors from Indonesia.
Outgoing Gulf police commander Inspector Michael Pakyei said the jewfish found in Kikori, Gulf was in high demand in the West Papua province of Indonesia.
Pakyei said the jewfish was bought from villagers in Kikori for K50 a kilogramme and sold in Indonesia for around K4000 per kilogramme.
He said the National Fisheries Authority Act restricted the sale of jewfish to locals only.
Pakyei said 14 suspects from Western were arrested on Dobima island in Kikori for buying fish.
He said people from across the border did not get any National Fisheries Authority licence from Daru and Morehead in the South Fly district.
They travelled to Aideo and Goare villages on Dobima Island to buy the jewfish to take back Merauke.
“We got tipped off about this illegal activity and officers at Kikori station intercepted them,” he said.
“We also confiscated a two gram gold bar, 11,900 rupiah (about K3), A$2 (about K4) and K5498 last Sunday.”
Villagers helped the Indonesians to escape but arrested their guides from Western and handed them to police.