Two men caught selling drugs from a vehicle in Pahu have been sentenced to prison, with the Supreme Court ordering that the car used in the offending be forfeited to the Crown.
ʻIsitolo Sakopo and Kalafitoni Tolutaʻu pleaded guilty to possessing 1.91 grams of methamphetamine, 9.03 grams of cannabis, and drug utensils.
The court heard that on 17 February 2025 police received information that the pair were using a motor vehicle, identified as R1319, to sell illicit drugs.
When officers attempted to stop the car, it failed to stop and crashed into a police vehicle.
Police were forced to smash a window to turn off the engine.
Both men were detained and searched. Sakopo was found with cannabis, methamphetamine and empty packets in his pocket, and admitted the drugs were his.
Further drugs were found on the floor of the car, along with a smoking pipe, cash and additional methamphetamine in a plastic container.
Justice Paul Garlick KC said drug offending remains a serious social and criminal problem in Tonga, particularly the continued use of methamphetamine. The court noted that both defendants had previous convictions for drug offences.
After allowing discounts for their early guilty pleas, the court imposed concurrent sentences on each defendant:
- 24 months’ imprisonment for possession of methamphetamine,
- 6 months for possession of cannabis, and
- 6 months for possession of utensils.
The total effective sentence for each man is 24 months’ imprisonment, with the final four months suspended for 12 months on conditions including probation and completion of a drug awareness course.
In a significant ancillary order, the court directed that all seized drugs be destroyed and that all cash and items seized—including the vehicle used to facilitate the offending—be forfeited to the Crown.
The judge noted, however, that if the vehicle is owned by a rental company rather than the defendants, it is to be returned to that company instead.
