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Police and Crime

Cocaine sent to Australia for destruction

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

More than 200kgs of cocaine worth an estimated street value of AUD$116 million, seized by Tongan authorities on the wreck of the 'JeReVe' yacht that ran aground on Luatafito Atoll in Vava'u, has been sent to Australia for destruction. 

Police Commissioner Grant O'Fee said today that the drugs haul was flown to Australia yesterday, Thursday November 23 accompanied by officers of the Australian Federal Police.

He said Tonga lacked proper facilities to destroy the drugs safely. 

"We looked at different possibilities on how it would be disposed whether it be burning, but we would not set fire to 200kgs of cocaine because it would be toxic to the people and the environment," he said.

Commissioner O'Fee said Australia has the proper facility equipped for the destruction of drugs. "I don't know where in Australia it was being flown to, but I am glad it is out of Tonga," he said.

In regards to the remains of the unidentified European man, now held in Neiafu, Vava'u, police are still waiting on more information from the autopsy.

He said they wre also waiting on information from United States authorities on what they knew about the deceased.

On November 7, divers in the Southern part of the Vava'u Group spotted the yacht and found the remains on board.

Comments

Kapau te tau vakai kihe fakamatala 'a e Commissioner Polisi 'o Tonga fekau'aki pea mo e ngaue 'a e kau Polisi Tonga kihe faito'okonatapu ko'eni, 'oku ha mahino heni 'oku 'ikai lava 'e he Pule'anga Tonga, pea mo 'ene Potungaue Polisi 'o 'handle' fakapotopoto 'a e ngaahi 'case' peheni, pea fakapapau'i 'oku fakangata 'a e faito'okonatapu ko'eni, pea mahino 'oku faka'auha 'i Tonga. Fakatokanga'i ange 'a e fakamatala 'a e Police Commissioner, 'oku hange ha'ane fakamatala kiha kakai 'oku 'ikai kenau 'ilo hame'a. 'Oku 'omai 'e he Police Commissioner 'a e ngaahi 'uhinga laulaunoa ko'eni ke fakatonuhia 'aki 'a hono toe 'handover' atu 'a e 'cocaine' ki Australia, kihe feitu'u 'oku toe sai ange ai 'a hono fakamaketi. 'Oku pehe tokua 'Tonga lacked of proper facilities to destroy the drugs safely', 'it would be toxic to the people and the enviroment' (This is a bull . . . statements). Ko e fakamatala 'oku ou tokanga lahi taha kiai, 'I don't know where in Australia it was being flown to, but I am glad it is out of Tonga'. 'Oku fu'u ta'epau pe 'oku 'alu 'a e 'cocaine' ko'eni ki fe, pea 'oku fu'u ta'engali kihe kau polisi kenau fai ha fakamatala fakavalevale peheni. Ko e 'Drug Deal' koha ma'u'anga pa'anga lahi mo vave, 'o tatau pe kihe kau 'Drug Dealers', pea mo e kakai falala'anga 'o e ngaahi pule'anga 'oku nau kau 'i he pisinisi ko'eni. Kapau ko e fakamatala ko'eni ko hano 'misleading' 'a e kakai, 'oua, tala ma'upe 'a e totonu, katau mohe ma'u he po'uli.
Malo Saia