Man from Vailele charged with marijuana possession at Faleolo Airport
A 44-year-old man from Vailele was detained at Faleolo International Airport on 8 June 2024 after customs officers found marijuana in his possession as he arrived from American Samoa. He was found with US$8,000 in cash, charged with possession of marijuana and released on bail to appear in court on 24 June.
Customs officials at Faleolo International Airport detained a 44-year-old man
from Vailele on Saturday after finding marijuana in his possession when he
arrived from American Samoa.[1]The discovery was made during a routine
inspection of incoming passengers, and police sent a team from their Faleolo
outpost after customs alerted them.[1]The man arrived on the Talofa Airways 3
pm flight from American Samoa, and the Police Commissioner, Auapa’au Logoitino
Filipo, confirmed the flight.[1]During questioning the man was found to be
carrying US$8,000 in cash as well as the marijuana, and he said his trip to
American Samoa was to sell “koko Samoa”, a traditional Samoan cocoa beverage.[1]
The 44-year-old was formally charged with possession of marijuana.[1]The
reported amount of cash raised additional suspicions about his activities.[1]He was released on bail on condition that he sign at the police station every
Friday, surrendered all his travel documents and must appear in court on 24
June.[1]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
Arrested
1
Charged
1
Value (official estimate)
USD 8,000
Agencies
Ministry of Customs; Samoa Police, Prisons and Corrections Services
The article says only that the interception happened on a Saturday and dates its report 11 June 2024, so 8 June 2024 is inferred as the Saturday incident date.
No weight or quantity of marijuana was published, so no kilogram figure is recorded.
Whether the court appearance set for 24 June 2024 took place, and what the court decided, was not reported.
Only one source for this event could be found and opened.
Customs officers at Apia Wharf intercepted suspected marijuana on a 25-year-old passenger and an undeclared firearm in a 42-year-old passenger's luggage after the MV Lady Samoa IV arrived from American Samoa. Both men were charged and handed to Samoa Police, Prisons and Corrections Services for investigation.
Tinofili Perenise, 28, was sentenced to one year and ten months in prison in Samoa after pleading guilty to possessing 45 marijuana cigarettes weighing 22.6 grams, which he admitted selling to fund his drug addiction. Police found the cigarettes and a glass pipe in a bag during a June search at Tafaigata, and the court treated the quantity and commercial intent as aggravating factors.
Sentenced 1Cannabis 22.6 gPrison 1 year and 10 months
Samoa police carried out three drug raids in Apia, seizing marijuana and methamphetamine with utensils, cash and firearms. Three people were arrested at two homes, and two men were charged with possession of narcotics and remanded in custody.
Samoa Police Service officers raided the Tafaigata area on 16 April 2019 and charged two men with possession of marijuana after seizing 162 plastic bags of dried leaves, branches and seeds. The men, aged 42 and 27, were charged at the Tuanaimato police station; no weight or court date was reported.
