QLD: Three facing charges over alleged drugs for guns trade

AAP General News (Australia)
12-04-1998
QLD: Three facing charges over alleged drugs for guns trade

BRISBANE, Dec 4 AAP - Drugs importation charges against three people in the Torres Strait
allegedly related to an illegal guns-for-drugs trade in the Strait, police said today.

A 27-year-old man from Stephen Island in Torres Strait was charged with conspiracy to
import cannabis into Australia, and two Papua New Guinean nationals were facing similar
charges, after an international police operation.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the months-long operation, which netted 8.75kg of
cannabis and five bolt-action rifles, was allegedly an example of an illegal weapons-for-drugs
racket in the Strait.

The arrests followed a joint operation by the AFP, Australian Customs, the Queensland
Police Service and the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.

"It is alleged that this is an example of guns-for-drugs trade in the Torres Strait," an
AFP spokeswoman said.

"But were very unsure of the scale, whether its a one-off or systematic."

Jimmy Pau Stephen, 27, faced Thursday Island magistrates court yesterday charged with
conspiracy to import cannabis, the spokeswoman said.

Stephen, who had been arrested on Thursday Island, was remanded to reappear in the court on
December 8.

Also arrested in relation to the matter were a 33-year-old Papuan man and a 36-year-old
Papuan woman in PNG. They had not yet been charged, the spokeswoman said.

The arrests came after the AFP placed a resident officer on Thursday Island earlier this
year as a result of the federal governments National Illicit Drugs Strategy.

"Theres always been anecdotal evidence that drugs have been swapped for weapons. It was
always an area of big concern in the Torres Strait," the AFP spokeswoman said.

"Thats why an officer was placed there."

Officers involved in the joint sting seized 8.75kg of cannabis at Daru in PNG and five
bolt-action rifles on Campbell Island in the Strait.

Justice and Customs Minister Amanda Vanstone said the operation proved the success of the
governments tough new drugs strategy.

"The culmination of this investigation is the result of the efforts of a dedicated combined
intelligence group and is considered successful in terms of causing major disruption to the
illegal trade of drugs for weapons in the Torres Strait region," Senator Vanstone said in a
statement.

"It is also further evidence that the governments Tough on Drugs Strategy is paying
dividends in terms of an Australian Federal Police resident agent presence in a critically
identified crime hot spot on our coastline."

AAP sd/cjh/de

KEYWORD: CANNABIS LEAD

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