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News
September 26, 2026
Papua New Guinea's relentless fight against illicit trade has scored a major victory, with Customs officers seizing K3.54 million worth of undeclared cigarettes.
September 26, 2025
The Papua New Guinea Customs Service (PNGCS) has successfully driven down the presence of illicit tobacco on the streets of PNG, culminating in a massive seizure of 3.5 million undeclared cigarette sticks in July.
PNGCS officers intercepted the haul on 7 July 2025, after a scan on a shipment at the Motukea Container Examination Facility (CEF) revealed anomalies.
After further investigation by the PNGCS Investigations Team together with Royal PNG Police Constabulary (RPNGC), the illicit tobacco was found concealed within boxes declared as 'tissues'.
PNGCS Chief Commissioner David Towe said the detection was testament to the ongoing concerted effort by PNGCS to combat illicit tobacco in PNG.
"This seizure is a clear demonstration of our unwavering commitment to protecting Papua New Guinea from the harmful effects of illicit tobacco," Chief Commissioner Towe said.
"Our officers are working tirelessly to ensure that our borders are secure and that illegal products do not reach our communities.
"The success of this operation reflects the strength of our partnerships with law enforcement agencies here and offshore and the effectiveness of our intelligence-led approach.
"We are sending a strong message to smugglers: PNG is not a safe haven for illicit trade."
The seizure represented a potential street value of K3,540,000 or more, a significant loss of revenue for the PNG Government and legitimate distributors.
May 26, 2025
Customs Chief Commissioner David Towe says there is a need for agencies operating out of Port Moresby's Jacksons International Airport to improve their collaborative efforts into the screening of outbound passengers and cargo amid concerns that the airport is allegedly being used to smuggle gold out of the country.
April 25, 2025
The PNG Customs Service and EastWest Transport (EWT) have signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) for the trial implementation of the Trusted Trader Program (TTP) marking a significant step towards securing, streamlining and facilitating legitimate trade in PNG.
The MOI was signed at the PNG Customs Headquarters at Waigani last week by Customs Chief Commissioner David Towe and EWT General Manager Nicholas Bury, enabling EWT to become the third freight forwarder to participate in the program in PNG.