Lae police are collaborating with PNG Customs to ascertain whether the counterfeit Waswas soaps were manufactured in PNG or imported.
Following the arrest of two female Chinese nationals yesterday, Metropolitan Superintendent, Chris Kunyanban, said in cases like this, police work with sister agencies like Customs, Immigration and the Internal Revenue Commission.
“Investigation is still going on, we want to establish or ascertain as to how those products came in – through Customs or they brought in the different raw substances to manufacture the soap here in the country,” said Chief Superintendent Kunyanban.
“So if it was brought in from overseas then it was the oversight of Customs and they will look at it but I will not speak into it because investigation is still ongoing.”
The female suspects were from Golden Apple Trading, housed in the Golden Centre building at Main market.
Panamex Pacific (PNG) general manager, Erich Illemann, said this is not the first time counterfeit products were found at Golden Apple.
“The first time was early in January,” said Illemann.
“The warehouse manager said they were supplied some products and he did not have more details than that.
“Given recent events, this was obviously not true.”
The Lae Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also calling on the Government agencies and police to pursue the issue of counterfeits to completion.
“Any illegal or counterfeit product must be stopped and the importer and any person involved in the movement of such items must be heavily penalised,” said LCCI president, John Byrne.
“This protects not only our businesses but our communities and ensures fair market practices and pricing.”
(The Golden Apple Trading warehouse in the Golden Centre building at Lae’s Main Market)