Nine arrested over massive marijuana haul in Gulf province

The trafficking of drugs between PNG and Australia usually follows the route from Daru to Saibai in the Torres Strait then into the Northern tip of Australia (Image: MapsGlobral / Graphic Insert: NBC)

In a significant drug enforcement development, Gulf Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector Jefferey Lemb has confirmed, in a statement, the arrest of nine suspects in possession of a 125.6 kilogram marijuana shipment, a bust with an estimated street value of approximately K100,000 in Papua New Guinea and potentially worth millions in Australia.

The arrests took place in Kikori following a tip-off regarding a suspected cross-provincial drug operation.

Four individuals from Southern Highlands Province and two from Western Province were apprehended when allegedly transporting seven bags of marijuana from Southern Highlands en route to Daru in Western Province.

The arrests were carried out after officers stationed at the Kikori checkpoint searched a white Toyota ten-seater troop carrier that appeared suspicious. The driver and crew of the vehicle were detained, while one suspect fled the scene.

Commander Lemb outlined the sequence of events: on Sunday, 13 July 2025, five suspects from Southern Highlands arrived in Kikori at around 4 am. They unloaded the marijuana packages near Ogomabua Bridge and then entered the town. The checkpoint team stopped the vehicle, and the driver and crew cooperated with police, providing information that led to further arrests.

Concurrently, seven additional suspects were intercepted on a dinghy intended to transport the drugs across the Kikori River towards Western Province. Two were arrested on the same day, one on Monday, and two more on Tuesday, bringing the total number of detainees to nine.

Two suspects remain at large

Gulf PPC Jeffrey Lemb warned that the Dangerous Drugs Act is tough on perpetrators (Image: Supplied)

PPC Lemb said these drugs came from the Highlands and were meant to be transported to the Australian market through Saibai then onto Cairns and Townsville.

The operation suggests a smuggling route leveraging the proximity of PNG’s southern provinces to northern Australia.

Chief Inspector Lemb highlighted the strong track record of Gulf police, recalling a recent landmark conviction: “We got one male convicted for 40 years at Malalaua District Court in Kerema for conveying and in possession of five kilograms of marijuana under the amended Dangerous Drug Act.”

He emphasized that legislation in both the Dangerous Drug Act and Controlled Substances Act imposes severe penalties. “The public must be aware that the amended Dangerous Drug Act and Controlled substances Act are very tough on perpetrators. They must think twice before deciding to get involved in the drug business because the penalties are severe,” he warned.

Meanwhile, all nine suspects currently held at Kikori police cells, have been informed of their rights, and await court proceedings once their legal documentation is processed.

PPC Lemb confirmed that investigations are ongoing and assured that police are closing in on the remaining escapees.

With cross-border smuggling increasingly involving maritime routes to Australia, authorities are intensifying surveillance and coordination to dismantle these criminal enterprises and protect national security.