TWO men working in a travel agency in Nuku'alofa were arrested and charged by police for serious fraud offences over the weekend after being accused of taking around $13,000 worth of travel expenses from customers who were left stranded overseas as a result.

Police Commander Chris Kelley said on October 26, three people were involved in this matter and he would make a further arrest in regards to the third person.

He said the crime committed involved around $13,000 pa'anga of travel associated expenses where booked tickets had, in fact, not been booked for a family who found themselves in a situation where they were stranded overseas.

"This was a very distressful situation where they were left stranded overseas, that is not acceptable and clearly we have sufficient evidence that warrant charges of fraud."

Commander Kelley did not release the names of the two men that had been charged or the name of the firm involved as the matter would be put before the Fasi Magistrate's Court on November 1. But he confirmed that the two men were working at a travel agent in Nuku'alofa and were released after their arrest.

He said police are working with the local travel industry to ensure that the general public are not put at risk by dishonest traders.

"This comes hard on the heels of the previous travel fraud case that we had previously investigated and is now before the courts so we are actively working with the travel industry to turn this matter out," he said.

Integrity

Commander Kelley stressed that people needed to have confidence that when they go to a travel agent or travel company they have the integrity to deliver services to the people because the cost of travel is not cheap and has a huge impact on any Tongan family

"I have no sympathy for these people who engage in fraud and forgery and embezzlement because it is the people who are losers as a result."