PNG police deny human organ smuggling claims amid rising crime

Lae police station Photo: Supplied

Over the past three months in Papua New Guinea, there has been a series of crimes targeting businesses and people who are exporting large amounts of cargo.

In one instance, a cocoa trader had his entire consignment stolen by people wearing police uniforms.

Then, two days ago, there was another instance where a truck carrying goods for Highlands businesses was stopped by a group of men dressed in police uniform.

They took over the truck and kidnapped the driver as well, they tied him up and brought him into Lae.

The driver of the gang was eventually caught by the public, who beat him. The incident was filmed and the video uploaded to social media amid allegations of the gang harvesting human organs.

Stories of human body parts smuggling, and stories associated with PNG, go back many years, but there has not been any confirmation of such practices.

Police have said that there is no truth to the recent allegations.

The claims come on top of viral claims out of Solomon Islands about human organs being traded, and these videos are being shared over and over again in PNG.

In terms of accessing policie uniforms, police say itis not difficult for criminal elements, with companies in Port Moresby that produce the apparel, provided you have the appropriate credentials.

While police are left with a series of events to investigate, journalists in Lae are still to hear something definitive from the Commissioner for Police in Port Moresby.