Police in Drekikier have arrested two suspects for being in possession of a large quantity of marijuana and firearms. East Sepik Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Christopher Tamari said both were apprehended in a dawn raid this morning.
Mr Tamari said the suspects were caught with the drugs in a house in Musungwil Village, Drekikir LLG. The drugs were neatly packed and ready to be transported to Vanimo in Sandaun Province, and then onto Jayapura, Indonesia.
PPC Tamari said one of the suspects escaped while two were caught and transported to Maprik Police Station, where they are now being detained.
“I am pleased with the Drekikier Rural Police Station Commander and his police officers who worked hard and apprehended the suspects involved. Drug smuggling in East Sepik had been on the rise and people had been getting involved in this activity to bring guns into the province. The execution of the tasking was great because according to the information that police collected, the packed drug (were) about to leave the village when the police arrived and caught them by surprise,” Mr Tamari said.
PPC Tamari said the suspects will be charged under the amended drugs act which has very serious penalties.
Mr Tamari added they will be charged for the guns as well, which includes two homemade guns and wire catapults.
“I want to warn the people of East Sepik that if you are caught doing illegal activities to bring in guns into the province to earn your living you must stop because with the increased technology and improvement in communication methods, people will still report to the police and you will be caught. Earn your living in an honest way so you will not do things for fear of being caught. East and West Sepik are connected by road all the way to Jayapura and the illegal trade had been going on and the result is the presence of illegal guns seen in the two provinces,” PPC Tamari said.