A drug smuggler was lucky to escape from police at a checkpoint along the Bruce Jeffchot Highway in Madang, leaving behind 50 kilograms of marijuana.
Provincial Police Commander, Superintendent David Seine Jr confirmed that the police officers from the Madang Water Police section retrieved the marijuana after all the vehicles had left the checkpoint area. He said the marijuana weighed about 50 kilograms.
PPC Seine Jr said since the set-up of the checkpoint many drug offenders had been arrested and convicted, and are now serving their jail terms.
“With the newly amended law on drugs, I am happy that the police officers will be happy to arrest and secure convictions that will boost them to do more arrests of drug suspects. The suspect was lucky to escape. If one was identified they will face the full force of the law,” Seine Jr said.
He added that many youths in Madang are seen roaming around the streets, who are mentally ill because of consuming marijuana. Adding that if the 50 Kilograms of marijuana had passed through the checkpoint and into the streets, then people will fall victims.
“I thank the officers who searched and took the marijuana that was thrown out of the vehicle near the checkpoint. Since Madang is connected to the Highlands Province by road, people had been trading drugs with other things since then. With the new law in place by the court to penalize drug suspects, this will help drug consumers to stop such illegal activities,” PPC Seine Jr said.
He further added that the drugs found had been labeled and are now stored as an exhibit with the Madang drug squad.
With the amended Dangerous Drug Act 2021, the penalty for people who consume, cultivate, export, possess or convey the drug if found guilty will face a fine not exceeding K1 million or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 40 years.