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Anonymous
Posted Jan 4, 2005 11:01 AM
Australian police join PNG raids
January 4, 2005
AUSTRALIAN police took part in raids against violent crime gangs in Papua New Guinea on New Year's Eve, seizing an assault rifle, ammunition and stolen property.
About 90 officers, including 25 Assisting Australian Police, made five simultaneous assaults on properties around Port Moresby at 2.30am on the morning of December 31.
Police made eight arrests and captured a military-style AR16 rifle, ammunition and an illegal Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary uniform. Two of those arrested, John Sulera and Andrew Maniovia, had allegedly escaped from a local lock-up a month earlier.
Police spokesman Greg Keeley said officers also confiscated a car that was going to be used in an armed robbery that morning.
Australian police went into the operation armed and wearing bulletproof vests.
Those arrested were charged with various offences, including armed robbery, escape, firearms possession, car-jacking and aiding and abetting an escape.
Mr Keeley said police were doubling efforts to break up crime gangs specialising in violent assaults, robberies and car-jackings.
He said the raids were the first of many more to come in the Port Moresby area.
There are now 75 Australian police on the ground in PNG as part of a five-year, $1.1 billion plan to restore law and order to the country.
That number should reach its full complement of 210 by the end of March.
The Daily Telegraph
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