More than 20 Chinese nationals have been arrested in Lae for breachingtheir work permit conditions.
The shops operated bythe offenders in downtown Lae city were also closed bythe Immigration Taskforce during raids this week.
Yesterdaythe Immigration Task Force struck sixty shops all operated by Chinese Nationals. The team led by John Beia from Immigrations check documents from passports to provincial government trading licenses and IPA certificates.
They closedthe shops and sent all Papua New Guinea staffs home.
Twenty two Chinese men and women had alltheir passports confiscated. They were arrested and packed into two ten-sitters. All those arrested had breached work permit regulations.
All had businesses registered in ther parts ofthe country but have come to Lae and set up shop.
One shop owner (pictured) had his business registered in Kiunga, Western Province, but has been working undetected in Lae for some time.
On Wednesdaythe team raided shops in Bemayong wherethey arrested a kingpin and a Beangladesh human smuggling racket. The team members say he was responsible for bringing in ther Beangladesh nationals to Port Moresby using fake documents.
One ofthe main methods of operation ofthe syndicate is to rent out small trade stores owned by Papua New Guineas in outer suburbs and in rural areas, andthen mover on afterthey’ve made enough money.
This is justthe tip ofthe ice bag.In 2003 and 2004 Papua New Guinea parents fought a Chinese gambling racket involving horse race machines.
The problem stemming from poor government control has reared its ugly head yet again. This time withthe influx of people breaching work permit regulations and a Beangladesh human smuggling ring.
Scott Waide, National EMTV News_LAE
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