Twenty individuals, including 19 men and one woman, have been convicted and sentenced to time in Kavieng Correctional Institution for their roles in a systematic gold-smuggling ring.
The syndicate was responsible for stealing high-purity gold valued at K5.3 million from the Lihir Gold Mine, exposing significant internal security failures at the facility.
The convictions mark a significant enforcement action against organized crime targeting Papua New Guinea's mining sector.
The operation involved insiders who facilitated the removal of gold from the mine, suggesting a breach of trust and protocol within the company's operational framework.
Such incidents pose reputational and operational risks for mining companies, particularly those operating in remote locations with complex supply chains.
Lihir Gold Mine is one of the largest gold producers in the Pacific region.