Three Australian guards on Manus Island found naked with a woman who claims she was drugged and raped were sent home before local authorities could investigate, the ABC reports.

PNG police said the men and the local woman were found in a state of undress, drunk and sniffing an unidentified substance in mid-July.

But Australia's Department of Immigration and Border Protection has angered PNG police by allowing the detention centre guards to return to Australia before an investigation could be carried out.

"Three foreign officials with a lady were said to be having beers and sniffing some hard stuff when they got all excited, removed all their clothes and exposed their bodies," said Manus Island Provincial Police Commissioner Alex N'Drasal.

Commissioner N'Drasal said he had wanted to investigate the incident but the men were sent home soon after the incident allegedly took place.

"I was mad. I blasted the DIBP guys to bring back these guys and be charged in Manus," Commissioner N'Drasal said.

The woman, believed to be a contractor at the immigration detention centre, claims she was drugged and raped, said local MP Ronny Knight who has spoken to her family, according to the ABC.

Commissioner N'Drasal said he had not been told of any reports of rape and was awaiting further information from the DIBP.

PNG's highest ranking policeman Gari Baki said the incident was indicative of the lack of oversight local authorities had over the detention centre, and called on Australia to respect his country's sovereignty

"It gives one very clear indications that we have literally not much say what goes on within the [detention] camp and I think we need to change that," he told the ABC.

"We are a sovereign nation. We have a police force that is competent to do the investigations and it must be given that responsibility," he said.

A spokeswoman said the DIBP had no knowledge of the incident.

"However the Department is aware of the death of a locally engaged subcontractor in the Manus community over the weekend and understands the PNG Police are investigating the circumstances," the spokeswoman said.