Madang Police apprehend men with pistol at airport

Police in Madang have apprehended two young men who had in their possession a pistol at the Madang Airport onboard a PNG Air flight from Wewak in East Sepik.
The duo were intercepted following a tip off from Wewak Police.
When the men were checking in at Wewak's Boram airport, ground staff there found an M 16 rifle in their possession and confiscated it and alerted Madang police.
National Airports Corporation Manager based in Madang, Isaac Nicholas when confirming the incident, said Madang police searched the men when they arrived in Madang and found a SIG pistol as well.
Police in Wewak alerted Madang police who were waiting at the airport for the flights arrival at nine am.
They boarded he plane soon after its arrival and conducted a search but could not find anything, as the suspects upon seeing police men boarding the plane slipped the fire arm to an innocent female passenger to take care of until outside the plane.
Another passenger who saw one of the men pass the pistol to the young girl alerted the police.
They were immediately taken in for questioning and are now in custody.
The two had boarded the plane under fake names with the firearm, a Sig pistol loaded with nine live bullets
Madang Provincial Police Commander, Jacob Singura confirmed the incident and further identified the suspects as Luke Albert Taku from Malaguna Number one village in East New Britain and Gibson Saun from Korogu village, in Wosera Gawi District of East Sepik.
NBC News - Annisah Issimel