Drug smuggling

The drugs were taken into Jacksons Airport on board a rural commercial flight from Woitape Airstrip in the Central Province.

After receiving the tip-off, the Airport Lukaut team then acted swiftly and collaborated with the Aviation Security and reserve police and Safety Assurance and Regulatory Compliance teams and conducted a stakeout operation, which resulted in the apprehension of four suspects and the confiscation of the drugs. The suspects and the drugs were handed over to the Police National Drug Squad on the same day.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector Jeffrey Lemb is concerned that a lot of drugs are coming down from the Highlands through the new Kikori- Southern Highlands highway since opening last year.

“Some of the drugs are transported further up to Kerema and to NCD for cash trade. However, most we believe are exchanged with illegal firearms from neighbouring Western Province and locals as well,” said PPC Lemb.

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. 

COVID-19 Pandemic Controller and Police Commissioner, David Manning, said Cutmore and four others appeared before the Waigani District Court yesterday and their cases were adjourned to later this month.

Manning said Cutmore and 52-year-old Italian Carlo D’ Attanasio, and three other Papua New Guineans, appeared briefly before the Waigani District Court and have been remanded in custody to appear again on 25th August 2020 for plea.

The four men from Latvia and Lithuania were intercepted by the French navy off Tonga in July.

The skipper was jailed for seven years and the three others for six years.

The defence asked for their acquittal.

They said they didn't know about the drugs, claiming they were paid just over $US2,000 a month for sailing the yacht for refurbishment in Australia.

According to the Nouvelles Caledoniennes, one of the convicts is an 18 year-old who was encouraged by his father to take the job in order to be able to go abroad for the first time.