ThPNG Customs Services is doubling efforts to clamp down on illegal activities involving products that have come intothe country without proper checks.
Customs Commissioner Ray Paul saidthere are plans to increase manpower to monitorthPNGIndonesia border as illegal product trafficking is onthe rise.
Withthe recent discovery of illegal weapons being trafficked intPNGPNG Customs Service is increasing its manpower to counter attackthese activities. They said many ofthese firearms are brought in fromIndonesia.
Duringthe Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Beli, a Plan of Action agreement was signed to expand on existing bilateral relations betweenthe two countries.
One part ofthe agreement was to increase Berder Connectivity betweenIndonesia’s Papua Province anPNG’s West Sepik and Western provinces by building an international road infrastructure.
The link will enhance communication systems. And, it will also mean customs and quarantine regulations will need emphasis and field officers increased.
Customs Commissioner Ray Paul has admittedthe manpower is currently not enough.
“One officer is doing about 10 per cent of his job at any one time, working extra hard just to bring in more money for the country and doing what is right atthe boarders,” said Paul.
However, he saidthey will be recruiting over 480 officers soon. And with this new development in border connectivity,there are plans already in place with education institutions to recruit anther 500 to 1000 officers.
“We have come into some arrangements with Divine Word University to have Customs Programs thoughtthere. We have consultants to help write up most of our courses,” said Ray Paul.
Customs currently is adequately networking with police,the defence force andthe national intelligence organization atthe border provinces.
A Memorandum of Understanding withIndonesia’s Customs office is underway and will be signed for both countries to work cohesively in tightening border security.
Caption: Customs Commissioner Ray Paul has planned to increase manpower to monitorthPNGIndonesia border as illegal product trafficking is onthe rise.
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