Police hunt 20 armed men after Hold-Up on Sepik coastal highway

Police in Wewak are on the hunt for about 20 armed men involved in a violent hold-up near Makopin Village along the Sepik Coastal Highway.

The group ambushed a motor vehicle carrying cocoa farmers traveling from Wewak to Aitape, making off with cash and valuables totaling K20,000.

Several passengers sustained injuries during the attack, prompting villagers at Hawain to set up a retaliatory roadblock at Hawain Bridge, targeting PMVs from the Dagua area.

East Sepik Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Christopher Tamari confirmed the incident, saying police have responded swiftly and are working closely with community leaders to identify and apprehend the suspects. He said that while the situation is under control, public movement along the highway has been restricted due to the roadblock.

Superintendent Tamari emphasized the urgent need for a permanent police establishment in the Dagua area to strengthen law and order along the West Coast.

“A full-time police presence in Dagua would provide much-needed security for the people and the traveling public,” he said.

Meanwhile, PPC Tamari has assured the traveling public that normalcy will be restored as soon as possible. He revealed that the Wewak District Development Authority [DDA] has been supporting police with logistics, and plans are underway for the construction of a new Dagua Police Station, where officers will be stationed full-time to carry out policing work.

The Sepik Coastal Highway, which links Aitape and Vanimo in West Sepik Province, has become a hotspot for criminal activity in recent years due to the absence of consistent police patrols. The highway is also recognized as an international route, connecting Papua New Guinea to Papua Province of Indonesia, as declared by the National Government.

Police investigations are ongoing, and authorities are urging cooperation from local communities to restore safety along this vital transport corridor.