Australian government officials were informed last month that asylum-seekers and refugees at the Manus Island processing centre had regularly travelled into town to allegedly have sex with underage girls and buy or sell drugs.
Several children were born from the alleged sexual relations.
Papua New Guinea police and community leaders told the Australian government in mid-October of 161 incidents of various offences involving residents at the centre recorded over four years from October 2013.
The alleged offences referred to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary have included assault, sexual assault, aggressive behaviour, unlawful entry, property damage and contraband.
The Weekend Australian understands that some refugees, who receive $100 a fortnight, were allegedly using small items such as cigarettes and chocolates bought at the centre to lure underage girls into engaging in sexual acts.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton yesterday told Melbourne radio 3AW that about 190 men from the Manus centre — some of whom were “involved” in drugs — would travel into the nearby village of Lorengau by bus each day. Mr
Dutton also confirmed some of these men had threatened to rape the wives and children of locals.
“They’ll go down, purchase goods from the markets, they stay at the beach, go to the beach, they sell things down there,” he said. “Obviously, if they’re minded to buy drugs or sell drugs, then that’s an activity that some are involved in as well.’’
