Pacific / Crime

Major drug bust in PNG could be just the tip of the iceberg

06:02 am on 4 August 2020

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A major drug haul in Papua New Guinea is being hailed by authorities in Australia as a victory over trans-national crime.

Last Friday PNG police seized over  500 kilograms of cocaine - with a street value estimated at $US58-million - allegedly destined for Australia.

Several days earlier, the drugs were believed to have been removed from a small airplane after it crashed on take-off on a remote airstrip near Port Moresby on the return leg of an apparent drug smuggling run from Australia.

Johnny Blades reports that the haul may only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of regional drug trafficking.

The Cessna that was allegedly to be used for the drug run Photo: RPNGC