Police to crack down on festive season black market

Lae News, Normal
Source:

By GABRIEL LAHOC

OPERATION New Born King, involving more than 300 Lae police personnel, will cover two existing police operations for this festive period.
The 11-day operation, starting on Friday, covers the current operations targeting traffic rules violators and Buimo escapees, and would cover parts of urban Nawaeb and Huon Gulf districts of Morobe province.
Lae metropolitan Supt Nema Mondiai, when revealing this, said that about 100 escapees from Buimo jail, near Lae, were still at large from the three breakouts that happened this year and were the main targets.
“There will be an increase in police foot beats and crackdown on black market alcohol sale.
“As the operation commander, I want to see the police personnel spreading out as much as possible,” he said.
The provincial liquor licencing board had not indicated a ban yet this festive period but Supt Mondiai vowed that his men would not tolerate any alcohol.
“While I’m hoping for a successful operation, the police need the support from the public to ensure a safer festive period.”
“The emergency police number is 472 1833,” Supt Mondiai said.
Meanwhile, one of the main concerns of the police is over remandee Gedion Pokatau, who was alleged to have attacked a senior police officer, in the middle of this year.