Paula Moala aka Kenny [51] from Tokomololo was sentenced to four-years nine-months imprisonment for possession of 25 grams of methamphetamine.

Hon. Mr Justice Cato, in sentencing him at the Nuku'alofa Supreme Court, ordered that $16,000 cash from drug proceeds be forfeited to the Crown, as a result of his conviction.

The Crown submitted that on July 11 this year, Police received reliable information that the accused was selling illicit drugs from a car wash at Pahu.

Police went to the car wash that was described to them and saw the accused in his vehicle. Police approached him and told him they were there to conduct a search without warrant, which he understood.

During that time, Police noticed a black bag in the front passenger seat and a brown bag that was on the floor of the vehicle on the driver's seat underneath his foot.

Because there was a lot of people and traffic, Police took the accused and the vehicle to the Police Station in Longolongo.

During the search of the vehicle, Police found in a brown bag two big packets each containing three other packets of methamphetamine, one packet of methamphetamine, a weight scale, empty packets, two straws, $184 in cash and one ammunition for a .22 rifle.

In the black bag was one big packet containing another packet of methamphetamine, $15,811 cash and $13.10 in coins.

Police also searched his home but did not find any further illicit drugs. However in his room, they found empty packets, straws and 2 test tubes.

The methamphetamine was weighed and confirmed to be of 25 grams.

The accused on September 22 through his counsel admitted to the offending.

Although the accused does have any previous conviction for possession of methamphetamine, he is currently awaiting sentence on another drugs matter, said the Crown.

The judge in sentencing him to four-years and nine-months imprisonment, suspended the final 18-months of his sentence, on strict conditions.

The accused was also convicted on a second count of possessing one ammunition for a .22 rifle and discharged.