Papua New Guinea Police will question an MP in Milne Bay over the removal of sea cucumbers by locals from a foreign vessel, according to provincial police commander Joseph Morehari.
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The sea cucumbers were found by National Fisheries Authority and police officers on Tuesday during a raid of the home of Samurai-Murua MP Gordon Wesley on Skeleton Island.
Morehari said they found the sea cucumbers drying in his yard and took them back to Alotau.
The sea cucumbers were allegedly removed by locals – on Wesley’s orders – from a foreign vessel last week and taken to his village.
“The agencies jointly raided the MP’s home on Tuesday and found the sea cucumbers drying in his yard at Tubetube village,” he said.
He said Wesley and the LLG president would be questioned later.
Last night, Wesley confirmed to The National that his home on Skeleton Island was raided on Tuesday and the sea cucumbers removed.
Wesley said he was at Alotau when armed police went to the island – about 25km from Alotau – and took the sea cucumbers.
“I was in Alotau. I already told them that they should have come to me,” he said.
“I gave the directive for them (locals) to use my boat and get the sea cucumbers from the illegal vessel. We held the stock (at my home) because we want to see the reports of the first two stocks (before releasing them to police).”
He condemned police for going to his home fully armed. THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS [/restrict]