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PORT MORESBY - Papua New Guinea authorities believe they have cracked a passport-smuggling and visa racket run by Asians working illegally in the country.
PNG police last Friday arrested a Malaysian and an Indonesian after they allegedly tried to have 20 passports stamped with exit stamps at the border with Indonesia's Papua Province.
PNG's Foreign Affairs Secretary Gabriel Pepson has ordered an inquiry into the alleged racket following the arrests of the two men at PNG's northern border post of Wutung.
The men, named as Ching Loon Chan, 23, and Paindi Arendi, 38, have been charged with attempting to bribe a customs official after the passports were found in their luggage.
They have been refused bail and remain in jail in the northern town of Vanimo.
Police allege the men offered the custom officer 2000 kina ($927) then 4000 kina to issue border exit stamps in 20 passports belonging to Chinese, Indonesian and Singaporean nationals working for two major companies in Madang and Oro Province.
People entering PNG with multiple-entry business permits can stay 60 days but must leave and re-enter to qualify for another 60-day stay during which time they must not engage in work apart from doing business.
It's alleged the arrested pair were collecting the required exit and re-entry stamps in the 20 passports to save the passport holders having to leave and re-enter the country to continue their illegal jobs in PNG.
Pepson told PNG's newspaper The National that PNG would not tolerate attempts to abuse the country's liberal immigration laws designed to allow easy access for legitimate business travellers.
"I will make sure that every effort is made to track down and locate those to whom these entry permits had been issued and remove them from the country," he said.
- AAP
