SECURITY personnel at Port Moresby International Airport have intercepted 20 gold bars worth millions of dollars in what is believed to be a major bust of a Chinese gang.
The National Airports Corporation of Papua New Guinea stopped three passengers travelling to Hong Kong and found gold bars in their luggage.
This incident is part of a broader trend of gold smuggling that involves creative concealment methods, such as hiding items in custom clothing or applying clay coatings.
Authorities successfully secured a criminal conviction in a prior case and continue to urge the public to report suspicious activity.
In a statement, the National Airports Corporation (NAC) said it remained dedicated to collaborating with law enforcement to strengthen border security and prevent the unlawful export of national resources.
These recurring events emphasise the ongoing difficulties officials face in monitoring and stopping contraband trafficking at international terminals.
Other cases detected since December 2025 included:
- December 8, 2025 – Gold particles, concealed in five plastic wraps worn around the passenger’s pants
- February 25 – eight small pieces of smelted gold
- March 30 – Gold coated in clay, wrapped in six plastic wraps
- April 1 – Gold nuggets, concealed in a capsule.
NAC Papua New Guinea Acting Managing Director, Dominic Kaumu, praised the AVSEC Officers and encouraged them to remain vigilant and to continue doing their work diligently and with integrity.
He also commended PNG Customs for the successful conviction in one of the cases detected on 30 March 2026, in which AVSEC detected and referred to PNG Customs a female passenger travelling to Hong Kong who concealed gold in six plastic packs hidden in her custom-made sports bra.
