Police Commissioner David Manning has announced the arrest of two foreign nationals involved in a sophisticated scheme of data espionage, fraud, and financial crime targeting Papua New Guinea. The suspects, aged 40 and 26, hold Romanian passports and were apprehended on January 21st in Port Moresby.
“International criminals cross borders and use technology to exploit vulnerabilities in our communities. The victims of these crimes are hardworking Papua New Guineans,” Commissioner Manning stated.
The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) Transnational Crime Unit meticulously tracked the activities of this criminal enterprise, gathering substantial evidence to facilitate their arrest.
“Thanks to the hard work of our investigators, we have secured enough evidence to ensure these criminals can expect extended prison terms in PNG,” Manning added.
While details are limited due to the ongoing court proceedings, it has been reported that the suspects allegedly employed credit and debit card skimming devices, cloned cards, and stole significant sums of money, with estimates exceeding 10 million Kina. The police have initiated efforts to trace every toea of the misappropriated funds.
The arrests occurred in Kennedy Estate in the National Capital District (NCD) after police identified the suspects through CCTV footage. During the arrest, law enforcement seized several items, including:
• Passports
• Cash
• Card skimming and cloning devices
• Blank and reprogrammed cards
• A computer
Commissioner Manning emphasized the growing challenge posed by international organized crime networks, which exploit technology and collaborate with local criminals, abusing the hospitality of communities.
“The money stolen by these criminals came from the accounts of hardworking Papua New Guineans, and they will be held accountable for their actions,” he asserted.
“This is a solid example of the diligent work of our investigators. We remain vigilant against the threat of transnational criminal syndicates. Those who seek to enter our country and steal from our people will find there is no place to hide. These criminals will do hard time in our prisons.”
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