Eight local people in Vava’u were sentenced to between three years to 13.5 years imprisonment for their opportunistic roles in handling blocks of cocaine from a large shipment, found washed up on 'Otualea Beach there in 2021. They were caught in an investigation that started when children at Holeva picked up a brick of cocaine on the beach and handed it in to authorities.
  You are here
Results for Illicit Drugs
      
    
    
          Tuesday 4 April 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  
      
    
    
          Friday 24 March 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  ‘Uhila Tu’i (34) was sentenced today to 33-months imprisonment, on charges including carrying a firearm to resist arrest, when he shot at and missed a police officer during the search of a home, at Hala'ovave, Tongatapu, in 2021. The Chief Justice said the accused could have been charged with attempted murder.
  
      
    
    
          Wednesday 22 March 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Four men were found not guilty on possession of methamphetamine after a drug testing report was ruled inadmissible. The illicit drugs were alleged to have been seized on 23 December, 2022 at Tu'atakilangi.
  
      
    
    
          Monday 20 March 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Siu Holani (30) was sentenced to 21-months imprisonment for possession of illicit drugs, including 1.68 grams of methamphetamine and 5.57 grams of cannabis.
  
      
    
    
          Monday 13 March 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Siaosi Helu (36) was sentenced to four-months imprisonment of possession of illicit drugs, namely of 0.47 grams of cannabis in Nuku’alofa in 2021. His co-accused Akuila 'Aho had his sentence fully suspended. 'Aho was found not guilty on a further charge after evidence from drugs testing was ruled inadmissible.
  
      
    
    
          Thursday 9 March 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  A 31-year-old man from Ha'asini was arrested after a police pursuit, after he was alleged to have been distributing illicit drugs. Two others, including a 14-year-old teen were arrested later.
  
      
    
    
          Thursday 2 March 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Moli Tafuna (56) was jailed for charges including possession of 15.66 grams of cannabis and 0.26 grams of methamphetamine committed in 2021, on Tongatapu.
  
      
    
    
          Friday 24 February 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  A 25-year-old man was arrested in relation to the seizure of illicit drugs, including 1.81 grams of methamphetamine at a bush allotment, on 23 February.
  
      
    
    
          Thursday 23 February 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Raj Kumar was found guilty of attempting to knowingly destroy suspected illicit drugs, capable of being used as evidence in the commission of an offence, in a drug bust on the road in 2021.
  
      
    
    
          Monday 20 February 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  A man and a woman in their 30s were arrested in relation to the seizure of 24.92 grams of methamphetamine and cannabis in a car at Veitongo in Tongatapu, over the weekend.
  
      
    
    
          Monday 13 February 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Four men were arrested on charges relating to the possession of and supplying of illicit drugs after being caught in Police raids at Malapo and Hala’ovave, Tongatapu, on Thursday and Friday last week.
  
      
    
    
          Wednesday 8 February 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Auckland, New Zealand
  A total of 3.2 tonnes of cocaine estimated to be worth more than half a billion dollars, intercepted by New Zealand authorities floating in the Pacific Ocean, is one of their single biggest seizures of illegal drugs. The unidentified location was described as “north east off New Zealand, six-days sailing in distance and in international waters,” they told a press conference today.
  
      
    
    
          Wednesday 8 February 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Nelson Siulangapo the 33-year-old man who was arrested and charged in relation to the 124.77grams of methamphetamine seized on Tongatapu in January, is expected to appear at the Magistrate’s Court, on 20 February.
  
      
    
    
          Wednesday 1 February 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  A prisoner, Motuku Kafalava (25), who is serving a life imprisonment sentence for murder, was sentenced to concurrent jail time, for possession of a substantial amount of methamphetamine. His 24-year-old co-accused, Latu Veamatahau got a lengthy jail term.
  
      
    
    
          Friday 27 January 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  A 43-year-old husband and his 29-year-old wife from Veitongo were arrested with illicit drugs, at ‘Anana. Another 24-year-old man was arrested at Veitongo.
  
      
    
    
          Friday 13 January 2023    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Tonga Police arrested a 33-year-old man from Tatakamotonga on Tuesday, 10 January 2023, for possession and supply of illicit drugs, after intercepting the suspect on a public road between Holonga and Pelehake.
  
      
    
    
          Saturday 26 November 2022    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  A 53-year-old man was arrested in his vehicle for selling illicit drugs, in which quantities of methamphetamine and cannabis were seized in a police raid at Popua on 24 November.
  
      
    
    
          Monday 21 November 2022    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Two men were jailed for possession of methamphetamine and drug utensil, after they were arrested under a tree in Nukunuku. A third co-accused received suspended sentence.
  
      
    
    
          Monday 21 November 2022    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
  Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  Siaosi Brown (22) was sentenced to 18-months imprisonment for possession of 222.69 grams of cannabis seized at a home in Fanga.
  
      
    
    
          Saturday 22 October 2022    
    
  
          
          
  
 Premium content
   
    Nuku'alofa, Tonga
  ‘Okusitino Penisimani Tatafu (50) was sentenced this week to seven-years and eight-months imprisonment for possession of 249.74 grams of cocaine seized in Vava'u in 2021. A jury earlier found him guilty of carrying a significant amount of cocaine. The police drugs taskforce was waiting for the defendant in a hotel room where an informer said the buyer was staying.
  
        
