Eight people have been arrested with sizeable quantity of drugs including 15.93 grams of methamphetamine and 153 cannabis plants.

The Tonga Police Drug Enforcement Taskforce (DET) made the arrests at more than four different locations on Tongatapu between June 28 to July 14.

Seizures included 153 cannabis plants uprooted from a bush allotment in Vaini with 15.93 grams of methamphetamine, and over $8,000 pa’anga seized from other locations.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Halatoa Taufa, National Crime and Investigations said today, there was real concern for the involvement of youth in drugs activities.

"My message is walk away now from drugs before it’s too late!"

The eight arrested are young men in their early twenties to mid-30s except for an 11-year-old boy, who was arrested for possessing paraphenalia for smoking drugs during a police raid of a residence at Pahu, he said.

In addition, some of the drugs, paraphenalia and the large amount of the cash were seized from the driver in the road crash, that claimed the life of a 20-year-old man, on July 4 at Taufa’ahau Road opposite Hu’atolitoli Prison. 

A/Dpt Commissioner Taufa acknowledged their partnership with communities and encouraged anyone who may have information about drugs to please come forward or contact phone 740-1660 or 922.