Wewak police uncover syndicate involving city colleagues

 By GABRIEL FITO

WEWAK police believe that they have uncovered a syndicate involving Port Moresby-based policemen providing security for a company in Aitape, West Sepik, without approval from their superiors.

Acting Wewak police station commander Joe Baga and officers apprehended three officers from the Central and National Capital District Highway patrol unit and one from another section based at Boroko. They were travelling to Aitape via Wewak on Tuesday.

Baga said they confronted the four police constables and confiscated their firearms and ammunition at Boram Airport following a tip-off. The officers were carrying a rifle, two shot-guns and ammunition.

They told Wewak police that they were escorting a large sum of money for a company based in Aitape.

“However, we were reliably informed by police sources in Port Moresby that the officers were going to Aitape to provide security for a company for three months,” Baga said.

“Our provincial police commander is not aware of this arrangement, nor the divisional commander or the senior officers in Port Moresby we spoke to. Their travel arrangement was made by a sergeant in Boroko.”

He said the police commissioner had banned police officers from providing security for logging companies. Baga said the four men would be sent back to Port Moresby.