Southern international borders exposed: Police

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
PAPUA New Guinea’s southern international borders with Indonesia and Australia are exposed to Covid-19 and transnational criminal activities after security forces withdrew after the Covid-19 security operations, South Fly acting police commander Snr Insp Ewai Segi says.
“There is now an increase in the movement of people along the border since the termination of the Covid-19 state of emergency last month,” he said.
“There has been a surge in illegal fishing and the smuggling of humans, drugs and guns along the border and it is a concern because Covid-19 is rife in Merauke (Indonesia) and such unmonitored movement of people and illegal activities can spread Covid-19 into Western.”
Segi said yesterday in light of four Bangladeshis at large in neighbouring Gulf province after illegally crossing the PNG-Indonesian border into Western from Merauke.
These Bangladeshis are believed to be hiding in Kikori and could be preparing to cross illegally into Australia through the Torres Strait Islands.
Segi said five people from Tureture village in South Fly crossed into the Torres Strait Islands and were caught illegally fishing on Monday.
Villagers Sakai Kawiri, 56, Freddy Mapo, 34, Charlie Roy, 36, Aaron Balasi, 40, and Kairome Madau, 25, were fined a total of K2,400 by the Daru District Court yesterday for breaching the Torres Strait Act.
They were ordered to pay their fine in 14 days or face 18 months in jail.
Segi said the villagers were arrested after Australian police alerted Daru police that they were fishing on a reef across the Australian-PNG maritime border.
“Officers from Daru were dispatched and arrested them and confiscated five of their dinghies. Two turtles and fishing and diving gears were also confiscated from them.”