BY BRYAN KRAMER Police Minister
After a debriefing with the Commissioner for Police David Manning the Prime Minister James Marape issued a press statement to respond to the many misleading and baseless allegations being posted on social media in relation to the PNG's largest drug bust on 26th July 2020.
In his press statement Prime Minister provided the following facts. There is an ongoing investigation into the suspected importation of border controlled, dugs, (suspected to be cocaine) from Papua New Guinea to North Queensland Australia, by a Melbourne based organized crime syndicate utilizing a light aircraft VH-TSI.
The group allegedly facilitated a flight on a light aircraft to PNG on the morning of 26 July 2020, where a member of the group (a pilot) attempted to collect the illicit cargo.
Intelligence reports indicated the consignment of drugs arrived by sea sometime back in March 2020 for shipment to Australia.
On Sunday 26th July 2020, between 1pm and 2:30pm the aircraft crashed while attempting to take-off from a remote airstrip at Papa Lea Lea, north of Port Moresby.
About 11:45am on 28 July 2020, the pilot an Australian National David Cutmore, 52 years of age presented himself to the Australian High Commission in PNG.
On the afternoon of 28 July 2020 Cutmore was arrested by RPNGC under Section 16(1)(a) of the Migration Act and remains in Immigration Custody, accommodated at the Bomana Immigration Detention Centre undertaking 14 days in quarantine.
On the afternoon of 30 July 2020, a search warrant was executed at Sunset Village Resort Papa Lea Lea Village, An item linked to the Melbourne based syndicate was located at the Sunset Village Resort. Following the search a PNG National Shane Dikana was arrested.
On 31st July 2020, the Pilot, Cutmore appeared before District Court on the charge illegal entry in PNG. He pleaded guilty and the Court issued a fine of K3,000.00.
On 4th August 2020 RPNGC arrested an Italian citizen, a captain of a yacht, MV Badu who arrived in PNG on 24 March 2020. It is alleged he shipped the drug consignment into PNG and been in contact with a member of the Melbourne Syndicate two years earlier.
RPNGC searched the yacht, discovering a small amount of cocaine which he claimed was for personal use.
On 6th August 2020 RPNGC executed search warrants for a premises linked to one of the arrested PNG Nationals - they uncovered three bags similar to the bags that were used to transport the cocaine. This discover indicated that may be upto 100 blocks/kilograms (20 per bag) of cocaine unaccounted for.
Today 10th August 2020 Police laid further charges against the pilot, Cutmore under Section 47(1)(a) of Pandemic Act - failing to comply with international travel order. He was also charged under Section 151(2)(a) of Customs Act - offences in relation Narcotic Drugs - where the penalty is K50,000 or upto 10 years imprisonment or both.
Police also laid smuggling charges against the captain and Italian citizen - an offence under Section 49 of Customs Act. An offence that also attracts a penalty is K50,000 or upto 10 years imprisonment or both.
Similar charges were also laid against the three PNG Nationals who were arrested for their part in aiding and abetting in illegal import and smuggling of drugs into PNG.
AFP have arrested five members of Melbourne based criminal syndicate - with alleged links to Italian organized crime for conspiring to import over 500kg of cocaine form PNG into Australia. If convicted all five men are facing life imprisonment.
The Queensland Joint Organized Crime Task Force, working closely with the Victoria Police and RPNGC will allege the group traveled from Melbourne and Sydney to Atherton between 19th & 25th July 2020 with the plan of carrying out the importation and collection of cocaine from PNG, estimated to be valued at more than $80 million.
This is an excellent example of co-operation between the RPNGC and AFP.
"Stop speculation and rumors as the investigations are on-going. All involved in the any form in the illicit drug trade will be investigated and arrested if found to be involved or have benefited in any way." Prime Minister said.
He went onto to say Marape Steven Government will vigorously defend our borders from transnational crimes, especially the illicit drug trades.
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