Cops looking for drug labs

By AILEEN KWARAGU
POLICE are trying to locate underground drug laboratories manufacturing cocaine and methamphetamine (meth) in the country, Internal Security Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr says.
“Such drugs were previously smuggled into the country but there are now indications that drugs are being manufactured here,” he added. He said police had identified hotspot airstrips where domestically-manufactured drugs were being loaded for export.
Tsiamalili was responding to concerns raised by Bulolo MP Sam Basil Jr in Parliament on Friday about the transportation of 52kg of meth worth A$15 million (about K35 million) from Bulolo to Queensland, Australia, last Tuesday.
“The interception of the flight was a result of a combined investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Papua New Guinea police,” he said.
“The investigations into the drug trafficking syndicate started in November through the AFP and the PNG police Transnational Crime Division.
“Since those involved were monitored, police and AFP did not want to expose them but allowed the transportation of the drugs to occur.”
Tsiamalili said when five men were caught in Queensland, there was a scarcity of media coverage in Australia.
“So when arrests were done in Australia, the police also arrested a Chinese national at Lae’s Nadzab Airport. More arrests are expected,” he added.