An Australian-funded refugee program in Papua New Guinea will be forensically investigated following allegations a woman arrested over an alleged $15 million drug importation attempt had links to companies in the program.
On Sunday, the ABC revealed that Chinese-PNG woman Mei Lin, who is understood to have Australian residency, had been arrested and charged in Brisbane for her alleged role in last year's "black flight" plot that saw 71.5kg of methamphetamine flown from PNG to Central Queensland.
The ABC also revealed Ms Lin has links to companies that reportedly received funding from the PNG Humanitarian Program that looks after former detainees of Australia's immigration detention centre on Manus Island, who now live in Port Moresby.
Now, PNG's Deputy Prime Minister and Immigration Minister John Rosso has brought in consultancy firm KPMG to conduct a "forensic investigation" of the program.
Black flights fly at a very low altitude or turn off flight monitoring systems to avoid law enforcement.(Supplied: Australian Federal Police)
The arrest has been discussed in PNG government WhatsApp groups, with Ms Lin a well-known and well-connected businesswoman, especially in the second largest city of Lae.
Ms Lin has been charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine and one count of dealing with the proceeds of crime, money, or property worth $10,000 or more.
Program already under scrutiny after whistleblower allegations
A government audit had already been announced into the PNG Humanitarian Program following allegations by a whistleblower in October last year.
That program was funded by a "substantial" payment from Australia to PNG, made out of a larger $303 million "offshore management" budget within Home Affairs.
It is run by PNG's Immigration and Citizenship Authority to look after the remaining refugees awaiting third-country resettlement.
Sources within PNG's immigration department have claimed Ms Lin is, or has been associated with business interests or companies that have received contracts through the program.
One of the companies that is engaged under the program is Chatswood (PNG) Limited, the "family investment company" of former PNG deputy prime minister Moses Maladina.
Mr Maladina has confirmed to the ABC that Ms Lin was employed for two months "some time ago" in the property division of the business.
According to Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) records, Mr Maladina also appears as a director of a company called ABC Enterprise Limited, formerly known as PNG Humanitarian Program Limited.
Ms Lin is currently listed as the company's sole shareholder and as a director until March 2023.
Mr Maladina told the ABC while he assisted in the "initial establishment" of the entity, he had "no involvement whatsoever of the subsequent creation of ABC Enterprises Ltd".
"I also have no knowledge of its business and functions. If that company was used for the purposes of the [PNG Humanitarian Program], then I can only assume that it was done with the full knowledge of ICA and Australia's Department of Home Affairs," he said.
"The PNG IPA system will also clearly show that I was not involved in establishment of ABC Enterprises Ltd. I have no knowledge of its existence despite the fact that my name may appear as a director."
The ABC does not suggest Mr Maladina had any involvement in the alleged drug plot.
"Chatswood is not involved in any illegal actively [sic]. Chatswood and its directors are NOT in any way associated with the activities of Mei Lin," he told the ABC.
"The [PNG Humanitarian Program] has been successful under Chatswood's watch.
"Since Chatswood's engagement the number of Cohorts in PNG have substantially reduced as a result of being successfully moved to third countries like New Zealand, USA and Canada, or settlement in PNG."
Several people are accused of orchestrating a flight from PNG to Australia with a large quantity of methamphetamine on board.(Supplied: AFP)
More than a dozen people including Australian, Chinese and PNG nationals have been arrested and are facing charges over the alleged attempt to smuggle methamphetamine from PNG into Australia using a light plane flying below the radar.
Australian Federal Police intercepted the plane after it took off from Bulolo in PNG and landed at Monto in Central Queensland in March 2023.
As part of the investigation, PNG police raided a property in Lae, in the country's north, where they alleged the drugs had been stored before being transported to an airstrip and loaded onto the light plane.
Ms Lin was denied bail and is to reappear in court on March 1.
Story By: PNG correspondent Tim Swanston and Rory Callinan
Original Story link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-24/png-refugee-fund-australian-government-alleged-black-flight/103381134
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