Triads sponsoring PNG politicians, criminal claims
AAP
Papua New Guinea's most notorious criminal has alleged that triads are sponsoring political candidates for PNG's next elections.
In an hour-long videotaped confession, seen by AAP, William Kapris tells PNG police he was a bag man for a network of Asian crime gangs and senior government ministers who planned and funded his major robberies.
Kapris, who is facing trial for a series of high profile bank robberies and a jail escape, alleges syndicates such as the triads are linked to most PNG government institutions and agencies and use PNG's infamous 'rascals' for crimes.
He alleges Asian mafia are funding political candidates for PNG's next elections in 2012.
"There are five to ten guys like me who are now working with Asians," Kapris said.
"I would help the network and prepare for (the) 2012 election.
"We wouldn't remove the Prime Minister by gunpoint but through our own candidates, courtesy of the elections.
"Once they were in government people like me will be free to do what I like."
Also on the tape, Kapris explains Port Moresby's "black bank" - an Asian network to launder money, for business loans and funding future robberies.
"The Asians (gangs) that are here are all connected to the 'black bank'," he said.
"If the state doesn't heed my warning I fear the government will be run by this Asian network, I was there and I saw the threat."
In May last year violence and looting flared across PNG as local communities vented their anger over an influx of new Asian-run business they believe are fuelling widespread corruption.
At the time, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare dismissed them as "opportunists" while Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal conceded corruption, not just in immigration, was "paralysing PNG's systems".
In January this year Malaysian-born PNG business leader Jason Tan survived a shooting by alleged Chinese mafia only weeks after PNG's anti-corruption boss Chronox Manek survived an unrelated assassination attempt.
Monash University's Professor James Chin has written extensively about rising tensions related to PNG's 'new Chinese' - the recent arrivals from mainland China.
"The Chinese gangs in PNG are not big enough to bankroll an entire party, like the ruling National Alliance, but they can fund individuals, mostly local politicians who can protect their small illegal business" he said.
"There is no doubt about rising criminal elements in PNG from mainland China but they are not the big triad groups found in Hong Kong.
"However once the ExxonMobil gas pipeline project comes on line and big money flows into PNG, the big triad groups will come."
Papua New Guinea's most notorious criminal has alleged that triads are sponsoring political candidates for PNG's next elections.
In an hour-long videotaped confession, seen by AAP, William Kapris tells PNG police he was a bag man for a network of Asian crime gangs and senior government ministers who planned and funded his major robberies.
Kapris, who is facing trial for a series of high profile bank robberies and a jail escape, alleges syndicates such as the triads are linked to most PNG government institutions and agencies and use PNG's infamous 'rascals' for crimes.
He alleges Asian mafia are funding political candidates for PNG's next elections in 2012.
"There are five to ten guys like me who are now working with Asians," Kapris said.
"I would help the network and prepare for (the) 2012 election.
"We wouldn't remove the Prime Minister by gunpoint but through our own candidates, courtesy of the elections.
"Once they were in government people like me will be free to do what I like."
Also on the tape, Kapris explains Port Moresby's "black bank" - an Asian network to launder money, for business loans and funding future robberies.
"The Asians (gangs) that are here are all connected to the 'black bank'," he said.
"If the state doesn't heed my warning I fear the government will be run by this Asian network, I was there and I saw the threat."
In May last year violence and looting flared across PNG as local communities vented their anger over an influx of new Asian-run business they believe are fuelling widespread corruption.
At the time, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare dismissed them as "opportunists" while Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal conceded corruption, not just in immigration, was "paralysing PNG's systems".
In January this year Malaysian-born PNG business leader Jason Tan survived a shooting by alleged Chinese mafia only weeks after PNG's anti-corruption boss Chronox Manek survived an unrelated assassination attempt.
Monash University's Professor James Chin has written extensively about rising tensions related to PNG's 'new Chinese' - the recent arrivals from mainland China.
"The Chinese gangs in PNG are not big enough to bankroll an entire party, like the ruling National Alliance, but they can fund individuals, mostly local politicians who can protect their small illegal business" he said.
"There is no doubt about rising criminal elements in PNG from mainland China but they are not the big triad groups found in Hong Kong.
"However once the ExxonMobil gas pipeline project comes on line and big money flows into PNG, the big triad groups will come."
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