Morobe police warn alluvial miners after mass arrest

82 individuals were arrested in Bulolo last week after reports of illegal alluvial mining (Image: Supplied)

Alluvial miners have been warned to respect lawful mining leases or face the full force of the law, following the arrest of 82 illegal miners in Bulolo last Thursday.

Morobe Provincial Police Commander [PPC], Superintendent Samson Siguyaru, issued the stern warning after the group was apprehended on Mining Lease 518. The arrests followed a formal complaint by the legal lease owner, Justin Parker.

Superintendent Siguyaru said Mineral Resources Authority [MRA] and the lease owner had spent over a year trying to resolve the issue peacefully.

“The lease owner, together with the MRA, engaged with the group for 12 months in an effort to stop the illegal activities,” PPC Siguyaru said. “Despite these efforts, the number of illegal miners continued to increase, showing a complete disregard for the law.”

The PPC said the group had also harassed and intimidated legitimate workers on the site, eventually forcing the owner to seek police intervention.T

he 82 individuals appeared before the Lae District Court last Friday, where they pleaded guilty and were fined K1,000 each.

“The convicted individuals gave assurances in court that they would not engage in illegal mining on registered leases again,” Siguyaru said.

In a separate development, Superintendent Siguyaru confirmed that investigations into the Sambio killings are progressing well. He said Provincial Special Investigative Task Force is receiving strong cooperation from the local community and expect to make arrests soon.