Drug trafficking

In July, an estimated 14kgs of cocaine washed up on beaches in Vava'u.

Tongan police seized the haul and an ongoing investigation has seen 21 people charged so far including three foreigners.

At the end of August, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Tonga Police Halatoa Taufa told Matangi Tonga the recent arrests included a 49-year-old man and his 23-year-old wife from Ta'anea, Vava'u on August 23.

The couple are in police custody charged with engaging with others in the supply of illicit drugs.

He revealed recently that those involved in transporting marijuana, among other drugs, were mostly youths and some elderly men residing in the most remote villages located right inside unreachable mountainous terrain, flood plains and swampy areas of the province.

He said if those transporting route and spots or tip of areas are well monitored, this would reduce the high rate of drug trafficking.

The reason why there is no effective monitoring is because of the lack of logistics like dinghies and manpower to do proper border patrols.