Cannabis plants seized at two locations [1]
Saturday, February 1, 2014 - 17:45. Updated on Sunday, February 2, 2014 - 17:49.
Cannabis plants seized from a Fua‘amotu plantation. Nuku'alofa, Tonga, January 2014.
Police have arrested and charged a 17-year-old man after 41 cannabis plants and seeds worth an estimated street value of around $10,000 pa’anga were seized from a tax allotment in Fua’amotu on January 28.
The Acting Police Commissioner ‘Unga Fa’aoa said on Friday that police officers from the Criminal Investigation Unit conducted a search warrant at the tax allotment in Fua’amotu, on Tuesday, January 28.
He said they seized 41 cannabis plants, five packets of cannabis leaves and one packet containing 218 seeds. They estimated the street value of these drugs if sold would be around $10,000 pa'anga.
The 17-year-old is charged with possession and cultivation of the illegal drug and remained in custody to appear on Monday February 3, at the Nuku’alofa Magistrate’s Court.
Police had been gathering the information about the tax allotment for sometime and on Tuesday had enough to get a search warrant. Further investigation continued, he said.
Packets of Cannabis leaves seized at Fua‘amotu, Tongatapu. 30 January 2014
Houmakelikao
Meanwhile, on a different case five cannabis plants and eight small packets of cannabis leaves were seized at a home in Houmakelikao on Wednesday, January 29.
Police have charged two males aged 47 and 23 with possession and cultivation of the illegal drug.
The accused, who are in custody, were expected to appear at the lower court on February 3.
Cannabis plants seized by police at Houmakelikao, Tongatapu. 28 January 2014.