The Joint Border Security Taskforce consisting of representatives of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Customs, Immigration and Agriculture departments have completed a tour of the islands in the western border including the Shortland Islands and Choiseul Province.
The tour left Honiara on the RSIPF Patrol Boat Auki on 24 October and arrived back on 31 October.
“The tour was conducted following reports from communities in the western border region of activities including illegal border crossings of the common border with Papua New Guinea. This was to reassure our people at the border communities that the law enforcement agencies have a responsibility for the security of our people in that part of the country,” says Assistant Commissioner, National Operations, Mostyn Mangau.
Assistant Commissioner Mangau adds: “The Joint Border Security Taskforce will continue to work together and conduct such tours of our western border region at regular intervals. At the same time police in the Western and Choiseul Provinces as well as representatives of the other law enforcement agencies perform their normal duties in the region.”
During the patrol several arrests were made including one Asian male on allegations of human trafficking and several other Asian men in connection with the alleged illegal harvesting of beche-der-mer. The suspects have been remanded and brought to Honiara on the patrol boat Auki.
The Joint Border Security Taskforce representatives also held talks in communities in the Shortland Islands, Choiseul Province and in Gizo.