Post Courier reports that the employees, all from mainland China, were handed to police in Madang and charged with breaching Papua New Guinea immigration and labor laws.
It was discovered that many of the non-citizens were employees of ENFI, a company contracted by the developer of the nickel mine, MCC.
The operation followed reports in recent weeks on illegal foreigners entering PNG to work in the multi-million-kina project.
Ramu nickel project manager Wu Xeufeng asked for more understanding and cooperation. He urged that all find ways to aconstructive solution. “We as always would be fully cooperative with the government agency to address these working issues.”
The special operation which started in the early hours of Monday at the camp site saw 57 detained while 27 more were apprehended at their work stations.
It was confirmed by officers from the three law enforcing agencies that it was the first of its kind on the mining site.
A senior labor officer said MCC managers were always reminded of the consequences of breaching PNG’s labor and foreign affairs laws and they should not be surprised at the presence of the officers from the three organizations.
He said all the Chinese apprehended there were working illegally as they did not have work permits and visas while some were employed on business visas or with expired business visas.
The officer said among those caught were two women whose business visas expired a few months ago.
The operation was conducted by head count and ID cards confiscated by the officers were cross checked against the records of the non-citizen employees working in the mine.
Most of those apprehended came into the country as engineers and technicians but were working on site as drivers, cooks, cleaners and carpenters.
One was employed on site as a doctor although the records with the foreign work permit division identified him as an engineer.
