A drug cartel allegedly run by a China-born businesswoman paid $10,000 (US$6,500) into a bank account in the name of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) former migration chief to obtain a visa, court filings show. It was part of a plan to fly a light plane loaded with drugs from PNG to Australia.
Mei “Gigi” Lin, now a naturalised PNG citizen, was arrested and charged in Brisbane in January for allegedly playing a key role in facilitating a “black flight” in March 2023 that carried over 71 kilograms (156.5 pounds) of methamphetamine from a remote PNG airstrip to the Australian town of Monto, in the North Burnett Region of Queensland. At the 2021 census, it had a population of just 1,156 people.
Awaiting Trial
Ms. Lin has denied the charges and was granted bail after offering sureties worth about $2.6 million, which included her share of her $3 million home in the Brisbane suburb of Rochedale. She is currently in Brisbane awaiting trial.Police allege she used an encrypted communications device, under the pseudonym “Make it Rain,” to coordinate the drug flight with members of an Australia-based syndicate that included local pilots.
So far eight people have been charged over the black flight in Australia, while six others have been charged in PNG.
At the time of the arrests, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the syndicate had “significant international links” it was still working to uncover.
AFP told the court that Ms. Lin had instructed one of her co-accused, Australia-based businessman Chun “Frank” Li, to pay $10,000 to a Sydney bank account so Mr. Li could obtain a visa to travel to PNG and take part in the drug trafficking scheme. The money was allegedly transferred in mid-February last year.
Encrypted Messages
The AFP alleged they found dozens of encrypted messages on Mr. Li’s phone between him and “Rain” that discussed preparations for the import.The messages also allegedly include discussions about whether “87” had arrived at “Laicheng,” which police say means Lae city. The AFP allege this is a reference to the number of bags of methamphetamine that were later found on the plane when it was intercepted.
Mr. Hulahau has not been charged with any crime.
In September last year, he warned all foreign nationals in PNG that his office would not hesitate to detain and expel them if found engaging in criminal and illegal activities. He said there would be “no room” for foreign criminals engaging in illegal activities after a New Zealander was arrested in Port Moresby for possession of methamphetamine implements.
In response to questions from news company Inside PNG, he said “[I] am not aware of the transaction and will have to check with my bank in Australia,” adding that ”the visa was granted electronically so there is no way I will be involved in this process.”
Migration chief resigned
However, Mr. Hulahau subsequently resigned as migration chief after OCCRP, Inside PNG, and Australia’s ABC revealed that companies connected with Ms. Lin had received Australian government money under a programme created to care for refugees and asylum seekers in PNG.Known as the PNG Humanitarian Program (PHP), the Papua New Guinea government-administered arrangement is now under investigation over allegations that contracts had been improperly issued and money had gone missing.
“Serious allegations by [a] whistleblower, separate complaints raised by other parties, the local and international media coverage on it, and the undertaking by the Australian government to investigate the program, requires our government to carry out our own audit into the arrangement,” PNG minister for immigration, John Rosso, said.
Both Port Moresby and Canberra have consistently refused to reveal details of the scheme.
The AFP alleges that last year’s black flight was likely intended to be the first in an “ongoing commercial business of importing methamphetamine from PNG to Australia.” It was intercepted in Monto on March 21 after the group had made previous unsuccessful attempts to fly to Australia.
A forensic comparison showed similarities between the methamphetamine found on that flight and an earlier shipment of 125 kilograms seized in PNG in November 2022. Two Malaysians and two PNG nationals were reportedly charged over that incident.
