By GINNAH MINI
MOROBE Governor Rainbo Paita has questioned the Police Minister over growing law and order concerns, particularly the emergence of organised gangs that are reportedly ransacking communities.
Mr Paita said Papua New Guinea had not previously experienced organised crime on the scale now being seen, with people increasingly mobilising into groups that are becoming mobs.
“Member for Lae, and we have the outbreak of the gang OBT (Operation Brukim Tulait), similar to the ‘I Don’t Care Gang’ in Oro. Their numbers have increased to 100 to 200 persons moving around, ransacking places, and it is spreading now,” Mr Paita said.
He asked the Police Minister what plans the government had to deal with the gangs, warning that the problem could spread to other provinces.
“It’s going to be rampant when we have a huge population becoming gang members. That behaviour is a dangerous trend,” Mr Paita said.
In response, Police Minister Sir John Pundari said organised gangs were a growing concern among citizens and leaders.
“We will seriously look into the so-called gang that the Governor for Morobe is referring to,” Sir John said.
He said that with the Terrorism Act already in place, he would seek advice from the Police Commissioner on the best way to address the emerging threat.
Sir John also warned gang members to stop their activities, saying they provided no benefit and could result in loss of life if the government was forced to intervene.
“The laws of this government and the police will come hard on you, and you must know that we have enough laws, including the Terrorism Act. Where we have to, we will apply,” Sir John said.
The OBT gang in Lae, Morobe Province, has attracted widespread attention on social media over alleged breaking and entering, stealing and armed robberies carried out at night and in the early hours of the morning.