Police Task Force uncovers Fake PNG VISA syndicate
The Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Special Taskforce team has made a huge breakthrough by uncovering a syndicate involved in producing “fake PNG visas.
Minister for Immigration and Border Security, Westly Nukundi announced that the members of the ICA Special Taskforce upon receiving information on the possible racket, conducted surveillance at the Jacksons International Airport on Sunday (080320) and apprehended a Papua New Guinean woman who is an Australian citizen, who was in possession of a fake visa.
This woman over stayed her tourist visa and to avoid apprehension collaborated with certain PNG nationals and obtained a PNG visa to exit the country but in the process paid for a fake visa produced illegally in Gerehu.
The fake visa was detected by Immigration officers at Jacksons Airport and further checks uncovered that the serial number on the visa did not belong to her but was of an Australian.
The writings on the visa labels appeared to be bogus using Microsoft word and did not correspond with the Border Management system record.
When held at the airport, the woman admitted paying K5000 to a PNG citizen who introduced her to a middle man, who after three days, produced and delivered her visa which she picked up at the Gerehu bus stop.
Minister Nukundj says the two nationals (names withheld) are now being detained at the Boroko police station cell after being interrogated, formally arrested and charged while investigation is continuing.
“This is the first case of illegal visas produced on the streets. A similar case was detected in 2013 in Kathmandu, Nepal where a group of Napalese where promised jobs in Papua New Guinea and lured into paying huge sums of money to a certain group which produced fake PNG visas for them. These men were apprehended by Immigration officials at Jacksons and deported back to their country. However, this case is first of its kind which the Special Taskforce team has uncovered.
Minister Nukundj said processing of fake visas is a serious threat to border security and the Immigration and Taskforce team with police are vigorously working around the clock to pin down the members of this syndicate.
Names and identities of the PNG nationals behind this is known and investigations are continuing.
Minister Nukundj says if investigations find out that immigration officers are involved, they will face the consequences of their actions.
FM100/Statement/PNGToday
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Minister for Immigration and Border Security, Westly Nukundi announced that the members of the ICA Special Taskforce upon receiving information on the possible racket, conducted surveillance at the Jacksons International Airport on Sunday (080320) and apprehended a Papua New Guinean woman who is an Australian citizen, who was in possession of a fake visa.
This woman over stayed her tourist visa and to avoid apprehension collaborated with certain PNG nationals and obtained a PNG visa to exit the country but in the process paid for a fake visa produced illegally in Gerehu.
The fake visa was detected by Immigration officers at Jacksons Airport and further checks uncovered that the serial number on the visa did not belong to her but was of an Australian.
The writings on the visa labels appeared to be bogus using Microsoft word and did not correspond with the Border Management system record.
When held at the airport, the woman admitted paying K5000 to a PNG citizen who introduced her to a middle man, who after three days, produced and delivered her visa which she picked up at the Gerehu bus stop.
Minister Nukundj says the two nationals (names withheld) are now being detained at the Boroko police station cell after being interrogated, formally arrested and charged while investigation is continuing.
“This is the first case of illegal visas produced on the streets. A similar case was detected in 2013 in Kathmandu, Nepal where a group of Napalese where promised jobs in Papua New Guinea and lured into paying huge sums of money to a certain group which produced fake PNG visas for them. These men were apprehended by Immigration officials at Jacksons and deported back to their country. However, this case is first of its kind which the Special Taskforce team has uncovered.
Minister Nukundj said processing of fake visas is a serious threat to border security and the Immigration and Taskforce team with police are vigorously working around the clock to pin down the members of this syndicate.
Names and identities of the PNG nationals behind this is known and investigations are continuing.
Minister Nukundj says if investigations find out that immigration officers are involved, they will face the consequences of their actions.
FM100/Statement/PNGToday
Next :
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