WNB PPC puts record straight on drug haul

I REFER to The National front page report “Kimbe drug haul” (Dec 28) about a major drug bust by Kimbe police and the alleged involvement of a security company vehicle that was used in transporting a large amount of drugs.
For the sake of setting the records straight and any insinuation this story may have created on any of the parties involved, may I highlight again the main points in my statement. 
They are:
l    I stated that the operation of a major security company is now under serious police scrutiny after one of its vehicles was allegedly involved in conveying a large amount of drugs;
l    I said that among the eight suspects involved and apprehended by police was a Unitech student on National Court bail for his involvement in the November 2008 Bialla BSP robbery;
l    That the drugs confiscated weighed about 30kg with an estimated street value of more than K100,000;
l    That police believed that a bank robbery was being planned and that the gang responsible had been under police surveillance. This was after a complaint was received from the branch manager of the bank concerned after they become suspicious of the prime suspect’s frequent movement in and out of the bank’s premises;
l    That the suspect and his fellow gang members had allegedly capitalised on their inside connection with the security company concerned and used this to convey drugs and other prohibited items from the Kimbe wharf;
l    That police intelligence suggested this gang had connection to Lae and Port Moresby;
l    That the first time the gang’s alleged inside connection with the security company concerned came to notice was when a set of stolen security uniforms were used in the 2008 Bialla BSP robbery;
l    That it appears the gang is still operating and continues to use its inside connection with the security company and this is of grave concern to police; and
l    I also called on all security companies in the province to review their operations and to be stringent and extra vigilant in the recruitment and selection of their security personnel and to be seen to be operating within the provisions of the PNG Security Industry Act.
I have written a letter to the branch manager of the security company concerned highlighting my concerns in relation to the above. 
I also warned the company that I will be forwarding a detailed report on the incident to the Commissioner of Police in his capacity as the chairman of the PNG Security Industry Council.

Richard Mulou
Provincial police commander
West New Britain province