By Bradley Mariori
Plan is in place to send police personnel to monitor the major drug and arms smuggling route between Menyamya in Morobe and Kerema in Gulf Province but underlying issues need to be addressed.
This was alluded to by the Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) for Northern, Peter Guinness.
Guinness said increasing police presence in the area will be made effective when there is manpower available and that other underlying issues like logistical support.
He expressed the importance of having police personnel well equipped with necessary support for this assignment as the location is isolated.
Guinness said at the moment, police capability to monitor the route cannot be fully maintained and that is a major setback faced by police.
He said that few weeks ago, more than three suspects were arrested by members of the sector response unit (SRU) based in Lae for special operations on the independence eve.
The SRU members confiscated 11.6 kg of marijuana and described the track used by smugglers as a major smuggling route for arms and drugs trade between Menyamya and Kerema.
He said most of these illegal items were either transported to Port Moresby, to the Highlands region or to the other parts of the country using that track.
ACP Guinness said it would help to have a police taskforce based in Wau town, but then it all depends on the public and the communities close to that route to provide intelligence to police.
Guinness said the welfare of police personal is also paramount.
Meanwhile, ACP Guinness said the Hetwara gang in Raikos district of Madang have gone quiet to this date, but police are still monitoring the situation closely.
