VANUATU police are hunting armed robbers who seized $AUD600,000 cash in a daring daylight heist at the country’s international airport.
Initial reports claim the men used firearms to threaten staff of a money transfer company at Bauerfield International Airport’s cargo terminal before fleeing in a tinted white van.
Police Commissioner Kalshem Bongran appealed to the public to help identify and catch the two suspects.
Police said the money was being transported by a vehicle and was undergoing weighing and verification by Customs officials at the airport when the robbery took place.
No injuries were reported but the incident has sparked serious concerns over airport security and is being described by authorities as unprecedented in Vanuatu’s history.
International and domestic flights have not been disrupted by the robbery.
Reports: Vanuatu Daily News and ABC Radio Australia