Authorities intercept gold smuggling attempt at Jacksons International Airport

Aviation Security officials at Jacksons International Airport intercepted a significant quantity of undeclared gold nuggets on Wednesday, February 25, preventing the illicit export of the precious metal to East Asia.

The discovery was made during a routine security screening of a Chinese national prepared to board an Air Niugini flight to Hong Kong. Suspicious items detected in the passenger's luggage prompted a physical search, conducted by the National Airports Corporation [NAC] in coordination with airline staff and PNG Customs.

Upon opening the luggage, officials confirmed the presence of multiple gold nuggets. Under Papua New Guinea’s current customs and mining laws, all exports of gold must be declared and accompanied by valid permits from the Bank of Papua New Guinea and the Mineral Resources Authority.

In a statement following the incident, the NAC confirmed that the passenger and the seized minerals were immediately handed over to PNG Customs.

"Consistent with PNG aviation security protocols and customs laws, NAC Aviation Security referred the passenger and the gold nuggets to PNG Customs for further investigation and processing," the agency stated.

The seizure outlines the ongoing challenge of mineral smuggling at the nation's primary international gateway. PNG Customs is now expected to determine the purity and market value of the gold, while investigating whether the passenger is part of a larger smuggling syndicate.

If charged under the Customs Act, the individual could face significant fines, forfeiture of the gold, or imprisonment.