K600,000 worth of exports to Australia. In response, Sanitarium established a peanut butter factory in Taraka. By 1974 there were zero exports. 2003 Riot On 3 February 2003, ethnic riots broke out at west Taraka between Western Highlander and Memyamya tribes. As a result, police from West Taraka were attacked trying to quell the violence. A Man was shot dead, two auxiliary policemen injured and more than a K1 million worth of property was destroyed during an ethnic clash yesterday in Lae city. About 20 PMV buses, eight private vehicles, three trade stores and 12 houses belonging to the Western Highlands people were destroyed by the Menyamya people at West Taraka yesterday morning.The fight erupted from an incident on Sunday after some drunken men from Tambul District of Western Highlands threw sugar cane husk at a Menyamya man who was selling his produce at West Taraka market. The Menyamya man threw the husk back at the Western Highlanders. It landed on the face of one of them. The Western Highlander retaliated by stoning the Menyamyan on the head. The Menyamyan later mobilised his tribesmen and they attack the Western Highlanders. Two of my policemen were injured after I sent them to investigate and to stop the fight this morning, Mr Wambe said. The incident developed into a full-scale war later in the day, resulting in the death of the man. Menyamyans living in other parts of Lae city converged on West Taraka In response, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary closed the police station for ten years until November 2013; After more than ten years the Police station responsible for enforcing law and order in West Taraka has been reopened. In recent times, the influx of people has caused problems for the Police service that are to this date still outnumbered by growing population in the city. In the past one thousand people became hostile toward the police. References Suburbs of Lae