PNG BORDER & IMMIGRATION: AMERICANS DEPORTED

 

Beautiful Orava village in Buin, South Bougainville. This place has untapped tourism i with beautiful beaches and offshore islands, and faces the border with the western isles of the Solomons. Picture courtesy of BRUNO LOUEY photograpy.

SOUTH PACIFIC ADVENTURE 'BUSTED'

BY PETERSON TSERAHA in ARAWA, BOUGAINVILLE

EVERY one loves an adventure. 

We work hard, save for it, even sell some of our family possessions to pay for extras.

It can be local or it can take an international route. It can be a long one or a short skip, a break from work or a cool getaway.

It can take you to exotic places like the Arabian deserts or the Mongolian steppes, to the canals of Venice in Europe or the tropical paradise of the South Pacific.

Where the coconuts lull you into a day dream and the waves sprinkle you with salt tinged sea breezes.

Sometime last year, an American couple, Bradley and Christine Noffsinger decided on a break from the land of the free, USA.

Taking their rickety yacht, Brad and Chris sailed halfway around the globe to the South Pacific.

The couple ended up in the Bougainville Islands of Papua New Guinea.

At first everything seemed to be alright in the irresistible Tonolei Harbour. They were having the time of their lives.

Bougainville is the island with the darkest skin tone people in the world. 

Orava locals watching a drone pilot. Picture courtesy of Bruno Loey.

The locals were friendly. As is the case in the pacific islands, any new face is made welcome in the pasifika way.

Bradley and Christine Noffsinger were making new friends every day. But life on the boat was taking its toll.

The couple needed fresh supplies of food. They needed cash so they began to get involved in alluvial mining with the locals.

But this dramatic intrusion turned day into night for the couple. It seems their carefree lifestyle was more than just that - they were eventually exposed as illegals who had managed to sneak into PNG not once, but three times in the past.

On each occasion, they tried to get involved in alluvial mining, first in Wau Bulolo in Morobe province and later in Bougainville province.

This week, the Minister for Immigration and Border Security Bryan Kramer announced the deportation of the Noffsingers back to the US.

The press release from the minister read: "A couple from the United States (USA) who illegally entered Papua New Guinea and engaged in alluvial mining activity with locals from the eastern coast of Central Bougainville were deported.

Bradley and Christine Noffsinger (pictured below), both US citizens, were arrested by police and immigration officials in Central Bougainville, detained in Port Moresby, and deported to Los Angeles on June 12.

“The couple were deported because they entered the country through an unauthorized port of entry without legal entry permits,” Minister Kramer said.

“The couple entered South Bougainville through Solomon Islands onboard a small boat loaded with alluvial mining equipment.”

Immigration movement records shows that the couple lawfully visited PNG at least three times in the last 10 years.

Their first visit was in 2012 and second in 2013 where they spent at least 2 weeks engaging with local people doing alluvial mining in Wau, Morobe province.

In 2015, the couple made a third visit and stayed for 8 days in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) where they made connections with ‘people of interests’ to do alluvial mining on the east coast of Central Bougainville.

Mr Kramer said following that Bougainville connection, the couple tried to smuggle alluvial mining equipment into Bougainville in 2016 but these were confiscated by Solomon Islands Authorities at the maritime border.

“That same year, the couple made another trip to PNG but were denied entry at Jacksons International Airport after an alert was placed on their movement.”

With no access into PNG, the couple decided to cross the border illegally.

In September 2020, they loaded their small boat with undocumented alluvial mining equipment and sailed into South Bougainville through the Tonolei harbor where they were apprehended and charged for unlawful entry.

The undeclared assets they brought in were forfeited to the State.

“ICA has a duty of care and has provided hotel accommodation to the couple during the Covid-19 period and the closure of international borders.

"We have given them the option to voluntarily return but after all means were exhausted we have now deported them,” Minister Kramer said.

Mr Kramer thanked the Chief of Bougainville Police Services Francis Tokura and his officers for the positive collaboration with PNGICA in apprehending the couple and for their continuous support in addressing border issues.

Chief Migration Officer, Stanis Hulahau, is appealing to PNG citizens and residents to ensure foreigners invited to come into the county to engage in businesses obtain the appropriate permits including registration of their entities with the relevant regulatory bodies.

Mr Tokura (pictured) confirmed detaining the couple early this year in Arawa.

Deputy Commissioner Tokura says he believes the couple could have connections with people in Bougainville who are prompting them to disrespect the law and return to Bougainville.

The couple  arrived on Bougainville two years ago in a small homemade makeshift boat which anchored off Tonolei harbour in Buin south Bougainville.

They spent the rest of their time illegally with the Mekamui faction in South Bougainville in which they aided them with alluvial mining equipment. 

Negotiations with locals led them to sail back to the Kerekere beach where the Customs border post is.

From there they were taken by police to Arawa and checked into a guest house, from which they escaped and were taken to some place in the hinterlands of Central Bougainville until police caught up with them and took them to Port Moresby.