11 Jan 2015

Indonesian Govt says smuggling out of PNG increasing

5:31 pm on 11 January 2015

The Indonesian government says the smuggling of goods from Papua New Guinea is now increasing at an alarming rate.

Indonesian defence intelligence officials say the Indonesian-PNG border is rife with illegal smuggling, especially in parts of Merauke, Papua, and Daru in PNG.

The Post Courier online says goods such as sea cucumbers and fish stomach, as well as marijuana are often smuggled across the border.

There are plans for more meetings with PNG authorities to address these issues especially as the two countries are engaged in many business activities.

The Merauke naval base commander Brigadier General Buyung Lalana on Friday said cited specific areas prone to smuggling due to limited equipment, such as motorboats.

He said the smugglers were mostly Indonesians and smuggled goods from PNG.