Travellers urged to respect PNG laws

 CUSTOMS Commissioner Ray Paul is urging everyone entering the country to respect and abide by its laws.

It follows the arrest by police of a PNG-based foreign businessman who allegedly offered a bribe to a Customs officer last week in Port Moresby.

He was charged and released on a bail of K500. 

Police were tipped off by the Customs officer who was offered the alleged bribe. 

The man allegedly offered K1,000 to the officer to release a suitcase containing cigarettes. 

The suitcase was held back by Customs two days earlier at Jackson International Airport after the man’s wife was caught trying to smuggle the items past Customs. 

The man, who was at the airport to pick up his wife, was advised by Customs officers to pay K6,150 in duty and penalty costs before the suitcase could be released to them. 

Paul said: “I would like to commend the Customs officers involved in this case for showing honesty and integrity in their line of duty.

“It should be a warning to anyone else who have been, or thinking of, trying to smuggle goods across PNG’s borders.” 

He said the Government would lose potential revenue if such incidents were allowed to continue.