A 17-year-old boy charged with the production and distribution of pornographic videos on mobile phones, appeared at the Nukunuku Magistrate's Court today, July 26.

Assistant Police Commander 'Unga Fa'aoa said that the police were very concerned with this type of crime because of the popularity of mobile phones among young people.

He said that the teenager had been charged under the Pornographic Control Act 2002, and his case was adjourned until August.

The Police allege that students and youths were involved in the production. "It is bad because these are pornographic videos produced in Tonga.

"In some videos they were advertising prostitution, and the problem is that a lot of them were in circulation via bluetooth on mobile phones," he said.

'Unga said that the Police Serious Crime Unit was investigating.

"We didn't expect this type of crime to happen in Tonga now, but it is here. With the technology of mobile phones and the videos being sent from one phone to another, we then have to trace it down to the source," he said.

Concern

The Deputy Police Commissioner Taniela Faletau in his Weekly Crime Report on July 24, said that the police were also investigating four other pornographic related offences.

"We encourage and urge members of the public to report pornographic offences to the police," he said.