Tevita Talia’uli Fatongiatau was found guilty at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court on charges relating to the seizure of methamphetamine inside his vehicle, at the bus station in Nuku’alofa.

Justice Langi in a verdict convicted him on three counts of possessing 0.09 grams of methamphetamine; interference with evidence when he saw the police and tried to destroy drugs; and possession of 0.02 grams of methamphetamine.

The Court heard that on March 2, 2020 at around 11pm, police received reliable information from an informer that the accused and a woman named Sesilia were selling drugs from the accused's vehicle, at the Nuku'alofa seafront bus station, for the western and eastern districts. Because of the nature of the information received, there was an urgent requirement for the police to act quickly. 

Detective Vi gathered the Police Drugs Taskforce and officers from the Tactical Response Group and carried out a search without a warrant. They went to the western bus station and saw the accused's vehicle parked there. The co-accused Sesilia was near an ice-cream truck parked nearby. 

Police approached the vehicle and informed the accused of who they were. The accused immediately put something into his mouth and tried to swallow it. However, police were able to pry his mouth open and take out plastic packs, which he had already chewed. The search of the vehicle started and Detective Vi found one test tube containing methamphetamine in the front passenger side. Another police officer found one pack containing methamphetamine at the foot of the driver's side. The packet was open and some of the white powder had spilled onto the floor of the car. The officer used a straw to gather the spilled white substance into the plastic pack. 

The judge said it had been proven that the items seized from the accused's vehicle were in fact illicit drugs. 

"I find the two charges of possession of illicit drugs proved beyond reasonable doubt. The drugs were found inside his car. The fact that he tried to chew some plastic packs when the police arrived is clear evidence of a guilty mind and it shows that he had the required knowledge and control of an illicit drug."

“In addition, I do not believe and accept the accused's submission that they had been at the bus stop to eat ice cream.

“The fact that the police not only found illicit drugs in the car, but also a substantial amount of money, empty plastic packs commonly used to store drugs and a test tube commonly used for smoking methamphetamine all suggests that he was dealing in drugs and was therefore in possession of them,” said the judge.

The charge of interference with evidence was also proven beyond reasonable doubt.

"The fact that he put the plastic packs into his mouth when he realized that the police were there begs the question of why he would chew the plastic packs if there was nothing to hide. The only reasonable answer is because he did not want the police to find the illicit substances and he was trying to destroy the evidence."