Sydney yacht caught illegally entering B'ville

BY ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

Five Australian citizens are in police custody in Buka charged with illegally entering PNG from the Solomon Islands on the yacht Perenti.

The captain was allowed out on bail and was aboard Perenti when our photographer got this picture. The five will appear in court on Wednesday morning.

According to Senior Sergeant Alex Gunan, the five arrived at Arawa from the Solomon Islands but did not report to Buka for clearance.

The Perenti, which is registered in Sydney, then continued via Inus towards Buka.

Police were alerted and stopped the yacht as it was trying to leave Inus.

Police had a search warrant and searched the boat finding 10 kg of marijuana.

The captain and crew were then taken to Buka and charged for illegally entering PNG waters and for having drugs in their possession.

The yacht is now mooring near Sohano island between Buka island and the Bougainville mainland.

Comments

[Joyce]

Congratulations New Dawn Fm for updating us B'villeans and the world on news and very informative stories of our homeland,tenk u tru na go het lo strongim otonomi,gutpla wok stret Boss.cheers

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I am very pleased to have good security, boats or yachts are often a perfect hideaway for drug dealers, I hope these Australians learn the lesson.

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I love the boats that you feel totally free in the ocean and move like you're a bird but at sea. Traveling on a boat makes me find myself and concentrate on what I really want. This helps me to put my devise ongoing and in order. The ocean is part of me, of all beings on the planet.

[JmM]

Weed is all over Bougainville. You can buy it down at the market for goodness sake. Marijuanna growers are protecting their huge crops with guns. Why don't the police do something about that? I'm pretty sure they would know about it "Through the community". And I don't care, Png people come to Aust and break the law, they get punished, so be it for the Aussies in Bougainville. You want to see Bougainville, go about it the right way. Respect anothers culture and laws.

[Noah]

Granted Linus, illegal entry is not good, yet this is not proven, the group may have been headed towards Buka and have had encountered difficulties, thus stopping in at Arawa.. We do not know, do we?

And no Linus half a Kg of anything is much different to 10kgs.. Basically a small amount is globally regarded as "personal use", and quite possibly as a sacred herb, a sacrament, depending on the person. Yet 10kgs is widely regarded as excessive, possibly for sale, not of personal use, and akin to trafficking.

Do not confuse Cannabis simply with the term drugs, many cultures regard the plant as a gift, a sacred herb, like corn or potato. Alcohol is legal, costly, man-made, and one of the most insidious and destructive drugs freely available. TV, Heroin, Speed, Junk food, Greed and basically anything in excess, can be classed as addiction, and a drug..

Education is the most suitable way to protect youth, not segregation, incarceration, and separation. I'm sure none of us would want guns put to our heads because a government deemed (for example), tomatoes illegal, just as these governments have made so many other plants and sacred spices and herbs illegal..

The real issue here is that Bouganville needs tourism, the area needs environmental protection, community health and stability, gardens, and rehabilitation. A sustainable tourism industry is globally acknowledged as one of the best ways to achieve these goals, and tourists visiting the area should be encouraged.

Sure these guys on the yacht may have not complied with some laws, yet to incarcerate them for such seemingly minor and innocent activities would again seal the fate of Bouganville as an undesirable and harsh tourist destination.. Its quite obvious that these guys were tourists, they came to enjoy the islands, the culture, to share life. They should be treated with warmth, yet mining companies which impoverish and wantonly destroy and decimate local ecologies, communities, and futures, are still regarded by government as real and justifiable economic options for the islands..?

Wake up Bouganville... “Mining is non negotiable,” General Uma says, pointing to the need to protect the environment with blood if necessary." http://theangle.org/2009/11/14/bougainvilles-eco-revolution/

[tim]

these guys I've heard were caught with 40grams,and it's been increased by the authorities,they had guns put to there heads by plain clothes police looking for guns.....

[Linus Billy]

Whether it is half or whatever kilogram of drug busted on the yacht; it is still drug, is it?. We all know all the consequences of use of drugs in the community especially amongst young people.

Drugs on Bougainville is the last thing that is needed in a society which is now finding its feet through its rehabilitation and reconciliation processes.

The ABG Police needs to be commended for a job well done ,when it acted on information from the community.Its quick response resulted in yacht owners being charged..for possession of drugs and illegal entry..

The police must now be better resourced to protect our waters from all illegal activities especially trafficking drugs..A police patrol boat is needed.

[Noah]

All other reports say that police found only about half a kilogram, or 470 grams, of marijuana (according to The Herald Sun). Ten kilograms seems rather exaggerated?