PNG and Brazil Strengthen Ties for Global Climate Leadership

Authorities in Papua New Guinea have arrested a 34-year-old man from Indonesia’s Muting District near Merauke after uncovering his involvement in the illegal trade of eagle wood and unlicensed firearms in the remote Nomad area of Western Province.

The suspect was taken into custody on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at Nomad Station in the Middle Fly District. Acting Provincial Police Commander (PPC) of North Fly District, Inspector Anjap Minata, said the arrest followed a tip from community members about suspicious activity linked to the protected timber trade.

At the time, police officers were stationed in the area to support security operations for the 2025 Local Level Government elections. Acting quickly on the intelligence, they located and detained the man, whose presence in the country raised immediate red flags.

Further questioning revealed he had been in Papua New Guinea for nearly six months without a valid business permit, buying eagle wood—a valuable and legally protected species—from local sources. Authorities say he had no authorization to conduct any form of commercial activity in the country.

More seriously, investigators discovered he had smuggled five unlicensed rifles across the border. Four had already been sold to local residents; the fifth was recovered during his arrest. Police believe he entered PNG through the Fly Zebo LLG area, a known informal crossing point along the Indonesia–PNG border.

He has since been transferred to Kiunga Police Station and formally charged under Papua New Guinea’s firearms and customs laws. Investigations are ongoing to trace the buyers of the remaining weapons and determine whether he was working alone or as part of a larger network.

PPC Minata urged anyone in possession of the rifles to surrender them immediately. “You do not have the legal right to hold these weapons,” he said. “Come forward now—before we come to you. Our communities are safe because law-abiding citizens stand with us.”

He also reminded residents in border villages to be cautious when dealing with outsiders, emphasizing that cross-border trade must follow national laws.

“We rely on each other to protect our land,” said Joseph Kepari, a village court official in Nomad. “When someone brings guns and breaks our laws, it’s not just a police matter—it’s a threat to the whole community.”

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