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COMMENTARY: Prime Minister Pōhiva warned about use of circulars, said they muzzled Opposition MPs

By
Kalino Latu
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This commentary was edited to reflect the fact that the response from the Deputy Clerk was meant to say that the Parliament using the circular was a normal means of communication.

COMMENTARY: It is time for the practice of using circulars to make decisions in Parliament was reviewed.

Circulars should only be used on agendas that are urgent.

They should not be used on important issues such as pay rises for Parliamentarians.

Such issues should be properly debated in the House so that they can be recorded in the minutes for the public to read and also broadcast for people to listen.

As Kaniva News reported yesterday, the government’s use of a circular to canvas MPs’ views on a pay rise has been called into question.

However, the Legislative Assembly’s Deputy Clerk, Dr Sione Vikilani, said the circular was a normal means of communication approved by the House and any information sent through it was legal.

In Tongan he said: “Ko e tohi ‘avetakai ko e founga ngāue pe ‘oku ‘ataa ke ngaue’aki pea ‘oku ‘ikai ke ta’efakalao ha tu’utu’uni ‘i hono fakahoko ‘i he founga koia”.

Dr Vikilani did not respond to a question asking why a circular was used to ballot the pay hike and not a face-to-face voting in the House.

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In 2018 Tonga’s former Prime Minister, the late ‘Akilisi Pōhiva, warned that using circulars in Parliament was open to abuse.

Speaking to Kaniva News, Pōhiva said the use of circulars was normal but did not allow for discussion.

MPs, especially the Opposition, could not debate whatever agenda was being circulated.

He said that traditionally Speakers and the Noble’s representatives, who were mostly the majority  in the House, used it to ballot issues they wanted to be decided in their favour.

The late Prime Minister’s comments were made during an interview in 2018 about the decision to approve an invitation from the Tonga Rugby League for a Parliament delegation to attend a match.

The decision was adopted through a circular, by collective resolution of Parliament.

Prime Minister Pōhiva’s concerns are just as relevant today as they were four years ago.

Debates and voting in the House must be open so that all citizens can see how their MPs voted and debate can be held in public.

This was illustrated in our story yesterday when Dr Vikilani would not say how MPs voted on the circular. 

A Parliament with secrets is not truly democratic.

CEO: Govt revisits airport ground‑handling issue after identified ‘shorcomings’

By
Kalino Latu
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The Lord Fakafanua government has reopened discussions on the long‑running Fuaʻamotu Airport ground‑handling controversy, revisiting concerns first raised during last year’s political standoff over how the service was allocated.

Dr Fotu Fisi’iahi

The issue re‑emerged following former Minister of Public Enterprises Piveni Piukala’s unsuccessful attempt to renationalise the service.

At the time, he claimed that awarding the ground‑handling contract to a private company may have weakened border controls and contributed to breaches that undermined efforts to stop illicit drugs entering the country.

Piukala also made several other allegations that appeared to link Air Terminal Services (ATS), the long‑standing company responsible for ground‑handling operations, to the rising importation of illicit drugs into the country.

The former Minister further alleged that a Sunday medivac landing request by ATS, intended for a patient evacuation, was rejected after his own investigation revealed there was no patient.

He also dismissed the chief executive of Tonga Airports Ltd during the pursuit of his reform agenda, accusing the head of the state‑owned enterprise—which oversees the nation’s airport services—of what he described as an “abuse of power.” The CEO, Edgar Cocker, could not be reached for comment at the time.

ATS Rejects Allegations

However, ATS firmly denied any wrongdoing in a press release issued at the time, describing Piukala’s accusation as “a barrage of unjustified and ill-informed attacks.”

ATS Director Paul Karalus told Kaniva News in October last year that the company continued to operate as normal, despite Piukala telling the media that a process was underway to replace it.

Kaniva News understands that ATS’s contract with the government expired last year, but because of the technical complexity of the operation and the stringent regulatory requirements for any company seeking to take over—criteria that reportedly only ATS currently meets—the company has continued providing the service.

Review Included in 100‑Day Plan

Dr Fotu Fisiiahi, Chief Executive of the Ministry of Public Enterprises, recently confirmed that the matter has now been formally brought back to the Ministry’s attention.

He said the current Minister Hu’akavameiliku has included the issue as part of his 100‑day policy agenda.

In Tongan he said: “Talu mei he ‘aho ‘uluaki ‘o ‘Okatapa ta’u kuo ‘osi’ pea mo e ngata ‘a e ngaahi alēlea ko eni’ makatu’unga pe ia ‘i ha ngaahi tō nounou fakaalea.”

This translates into English as: since October last year, the negotiations around this issue had ended due to shortcomings.

He did not elaborate further, offering no additional details about the matter.

Child struck by vehicle on way to school, remains in recovery at Vaiola Hospital

By
Kaniva Staff
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A seven‑year‑old boy from Haʻateiho is recovering at Vaiola Hospital after he was struck by a vehicle while walking to school yesterday morning.

Photo/Kaniva Tonga News

The incident occurred at around 7.30am on Vahaʻakolo Road in Tofoa, near Tonga Side School, Deputy Police Commissioner Tevita Vailea told Radio Tonga News.

According to Vailea, a 32‑year‑old man from Kolofoʻou was driving south when the child suddenly crossed the road in front of his vehicle, resulting in the collision.

The boy sustained injuries to his head, arm, and legs and was rushed to Vaiola Hospital, where he remains under medical care.

Police have not laid any charges at this stage, but an investigation is underway.

Vailea confirmed that officers are seeking any available surveillance footage from nearby businesses to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the accident.

He said any potential charges will depend on the outcome of the investigation.

Vailea also issued a public reminder urging motorists to exercise extreme caution in school zones, especially during morning and afternoon peak times, and to ensure driving speeds are kept low to protect children in the area.

Man arrested over Loumaile Lodge blaze after ‘canister’ found at scene

By
Kaniva Staff
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A man has been arrested in Tonga in connection with the recent blaze at Loumaile Lodge, Prime Minister and Minister of Police Lord Fakafanua has confirmed.

His announcement follows growing public concern after a series of fires struck central Nuku’alofa within days of each other.

According to Lord Fakafanua, firefighters discovered a canister inside the burnt structure, prompting police to treat the case as suspicious.

Fire and Emergency Services were able to save around 90 percent of the building despite the blaze breaking out on the second floor of the abandoned commercial property.

The confirmation of the arrest comes as authorities are also investigating another fire that destroyed a significant portion of the Tonga Hou‘eiki Church office, located less than a kilometre from Loumaile Lodge.

That earlier blaze consumed about 60 percent of the office building and sent thick smoke across the capital, prompting evacuations and a heavy emergency response.

The two incidents, occurring just days apart, have heightened concerns in the community as police attempt to determine whether the fires are connected.

Investigations into both blazes remain ongoing.

Woman dies, child hurt car crashes into cafe on Auckland’s North Shore

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission

A woman has died after a car mounted the curb and ploughed into a cafe in Auckland.

The crash, about 9am on Wednesday, closed William Souter Street in the North Shore suburb of Forrest Hill.

Three people were initially hurt – one critically, one with moderate injuries and one with minor injuries. Two were taken to hospital.

Police have confirmed one of those injured had since died.

A woman at an Auckland cafe has been left bleeding and with life-threatening injuries after a car crashed into the building in Auckland.

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

“We just heard a massive crash sound,” Jess, who works in a neighbouring store, told RNZ.

“I was out back and I thought maybe some of our shelves had fallen down, so I rushed out to the front of the store, and lo and behold, there’s just a car on the sidewalk.”

Jess said she and her manager both rushed out and could see that the car had “obviously” crashed into the cafe.

“The first thing we saw was obviously the lady that was really injured, she was lying on the ground and there was, like, another girl, it looked like quite a young girl, whose face was bleeding as well so there were like two very noticeably injured,” she said.

“And the first thing was just to call 111, just because obviously we saw that the lady who was hit was in a not so good situation, she was in a lot of pain and she kind of looked super, super confused so we called emergency right off the bat.

A woman at an Auckland cafe has been left bleeding and with life-threatening injuries after a car crashed into the building in Auckland.

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

“The car obviously has taken out the door area, the whole glass panel, it’s almost like a split glass panel and the one glass panel is literally floating in mid-air.”

Jess said they then tried to keep people away from the entrance so there were no further injuries.

She credited another nearby worker.

“The cat doctor next door to us, there is a cat nurse, she was brilliant in that situation, she ran right across from the cat doctor and she sat on the ground with the injured lady and she just sat with her and talked her through it. She was amazing,” Jess said.

A woman at an Auckland cafe has been left bleeding and with life-threatening injuries after a car crashed into the building in Auckland.

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

A worker at the cafe that was hit by the car said a woman and her daughter were sitting at the time.

“Very sad news to see today. Thinking of all those involved,” North Shore MP Simon Watts said in a post on Facebook.

St John sent three ambulances and two rapid response units.

Police said only one vehicle was involved.

Free Wesleyan Church president condemns alcohol served at QSC centenary ball

By
Kalino Latu
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The President of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga (FWCT), Dr Tevita Havea, has strongly rebuked Queen Sālote College (QSC) authorities after alcohol was reportedly served at an ex-student centenary ball, calling the incident deeply disappointing and contrary to the values of a church‑run school.

Dr Tevita Havea receives a cultural visit from the Queen Salote College principal and staff, during which he strongly criticised the school’s decision to allow alcohol at an ex‑students’ centenary ball. Photo/Screenshotted.

A video sighted by Kaniva News shows Dr Havea meeting face‑to‑face with school leaders, including the principal, where he expressed deep disappointment over the event and the apparent approval of alcohol as part of the celebration.

Kaniva News also understands that the ball had been publicly announced as part of the centenary programme and was recently held at the Taufaʻāhau Wharf building in Maʻufanga.

Photos circulating on social media at the time became the subject of widespread banter and emotional sharings, showing former students posing beside tables lined with beer and wine.

The FWCT, the largest Christian denomination in Tonga and the owner of QSC, maintains a firm anti‑alcohol stance and strictly prohibits any of its activities from involving alcohol.

Dr Havea told the school authorities that while former students were free to drink in their own time, it was unacceptable for the church‑run institution to allow alcohol to be associated with an official school centenary programme.

He reminded the staff that QSC has always been upheld as a school of high discipline, and allowing such an incident to occur undermined that long‑standing reputation.

While speaking to the staff, he said the Church was deeply disappointed by the incident, adding that although only a small group was responsible, the impact was felt across the entire Church.

“Do something about it,” he said.

Rev Havea also pointed to livestreams circulating on social media showing tables filled with alcohol at the event, implying the footage devastated him.

He reminded the principal that while the school often speaks out on national issues, it has remained silent about its own internal problems and has failed to address them openly.

During the exchange, several women—believed to be the principal and staff members—responded with “io” and “koia” (yes) in agreement, their voices sounding emotional as they acknowledged the president’s concerns.

The President asked the staff to excuse him for speaking so forcefully, explaining that it was better for him to express his disappointment before the main event so that he could feel free and able to lead a proper service on the day, a point with which the women agreed.

It remained unclear whether the principal and staff had visited the president as part of the customary tala fatongia process to formally present and confirm the centenary programme, or whether the visit was prompted by an effort to apologise after learning of his disappointment over the ball.

The centenary main celebration is scheduled for Thursday, beginning with a prayer service expected to be attended by the King and Queen, followed by a series of activities running through to Sunday.

Minimum marriage age rises to 18 in Tonga

By
Kalino Latu
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A new law raising Tonga’s legal marriage age to 18 has now come into force, marking a major step by the government to strengthen protections for vulnerable children.

The change follows decades of concern over underage marriages in the country, where previously young people could legally marry at 15—and in some cases as young as 14—with parental consent.

Under the Civil Registration & Digital Identification Act 2025, it is now unlawful for anyone under 18 to marry.

This reform closes the long‑criticised parental‑consent loophole that had enabled forced or coerced marriages under the guise of family approval.

The announcement of the law this week follows a long process that included serious parliamentary debate and extensive scrutiny before the reforms were finally passed.

As Kaniva News reported in 2016, then Deputy Speaker Lord Tuʻiʻāfitu told Parliament he was deeply concerned by the scale of child marriage in Tonga, revealing that 183 underage marriages had been recorded over a three‑year period.

UNICEF classifies marriage before the age of 18 as a fundamental violation of human rights, underscoring the seriousness of the issue.

Voices of Women and Children Heard

The Women and Children Crisis Centre (WCCC) has welcomed the new law, noting that its submission during the consultation process consistently called for setting the minimum legal marriage age at 18.

It said that in August 2025, the WCCC made a formal written submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Legislation as it reviewed the Civil Registration & Digital Identification Bill.

In its submission, WCCC strongly supported establishing 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage in line with international human rights standards, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and CEDAW.

The recommendation was based on extensive community consultations and national survey findings from women and young women across Tonga, as well as frontline casework from WCCC services involving girls aged 15 to 17 who had entered early marriages and later sought help as survivors of violence, abuse and exploitation.

WCCC also raised several legal considerations aimed at strengthening protections within the law, calling for clearer frameworks for divorce and annulment, stronger judicial safeguards to prevent misuse of nullity provisions, better recognition of the gendered impacts of marriage and divorce on women and vulnerable spouses, and greater clarity around prohibited degrees of consanguinity.

The organisation said it valued the opportunity to contribute to the legislative process and emphasised the importance of continued collaboration between government, Parliament, civil society and communities to improve protections for women and children.

It noted that the reform represents an important step forward in protecting girls from early marriage and ensuring they can complete their education, make informed decisions and reach their full potential.

Anthem protest turns to asylum bid as Iranian players escape in Australia

By
Kaniva Staff
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Five Iranian women’s national football players have made a daring escape from their government minders in Australia, successfully seeking asylum after days of mounting pressure, international attention, and fears for their safety.

The players — who had been competing in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup on the Gold Coast — were at the centre of global headlines after they refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before a match, prompting Iranian state television to brand them “traitors” back home.

According to Australian media reports, the players slipped away from their minders late Monday night, where Australian Federal Police and Queensland Police were waiting as part of a pre-arranged protection operation.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that the women were escorted from their hotel and taken to a secure location as their asylum pleas were processed.

By 1.30am Tuesday, Australian authorities had finalised their temporary humanitarian visas. Witnesses described scenes of relief and celebration as the players cried “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!” after receiving confirmation they would remain safely in Australia.

Why They Fled

The team’s anthem protest came at a time of heightened tension inside Iran, where war had broken out and conservative media demanded harsh punishment for the women.

Iranian government officials had been accompanying the team in Australia, closely monitoring their movements throughout the tournament.

The five players — including team captain Zahra Ghanbari — feared returning home as pressure intensified. Some teammates reportedly considered seeking asylum as well, while others hesitated due to fears for family members in Iran.

Australian officials had been positioned on the sidelines of the team’s final match, discreetly signalling that help was available if the women wanted to talk.

Conversations began before dawn on Monday and continued until the players made the difficult choice to break away from their official escorts.

The Albanese government had remained silent publicly, with Minister Burke stating that protecting the women’s ability to express their wishes freely required complete operational secrecy.

International Reactions

The case drew attention from around the world. Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Australia’s initial silence and publicly urged the government to grant asylum.

After the visas were approved, he praised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for “doing a very good job” in a “delicate situation.”

Iran, meanwhile, condemned the players in state media, insisting they had dishonoured the nation by refusing to sing the anthem.

Reports also indicated that Iran’s football authorities had lodged complaints over alleged political interference by foreign governments.

What Happens Next

All five players are now in protective accommodation in Australia.

Officials say they will be supported as they transition to life in the country, with the offer of assistance extended to the rest of the team should they choose to pursue asylum as well.

“These women are great athletes, great people, and they are going to feel very much at home in Australia,” Minister Burke said.

For now, the five athletes who risked everything appear to have found safety — but the fate of their remaining teammates, still under Iranian supervision, remains uncertain.

Research sheds new light on pusiaki, Tongan adoption

By
Kaniva Staff
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Auckland, NZ — New doctoral research from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, is reframing the Indigenous Tongan practice of pusiaki—often translated as adoption—as a deeply relational, historically rooted system of kinship that fundamentally differs from Western models of child placement.

Doctoral candidate Amanda SullivanLee is reimagining pusiaki, Indigenous Tongan adoption.

Pacific Studies doctoral candidate Amanda SullivanLee is leading the study, which positions pusiaki as a practice defined by “historically sustained openness, movement and continued ties between birth and adoptive families.”

Her work challenges the assumption that adoption involves a singular and permanent transfer of parental rights, instead highlighting pusiaki as a fluid, community‑centred model in which children remain connected to lineage, land and extended kin networks.

SullivanLee’s doctoral thesis, Reclaiming Connection: Indigenous Tongan Adoption (Pusiaki) in Historical Perspective, draws on Pacific storywork, talanoa, oral history, and archival research to map both historical and contemporary expressions of pusiaki. Her multi-method approach reflects a growing scholarly movement that centres Indigenous knowledge systems and critically examines archival silences.

SullivanLee, who was raised in San Francisco and is herself an adoptee, says the work carries both intellectual and emotional significance.

“Talking about adoption is intellectually challenging — and it’s also emotionally challenging,” she says. “As an adopted Pacific person raised outside the Pacific, returning to Indigenous frameworks has been both rigorous and healing.”

Her personal journey enriches the wider academic conversation on Pacific adoption practices, particularly the relational philosophies embedded in Tongan culture.

A Kinship System Predating Missionary Influence

Historical evidence shows that pusiaki predates missionary contact and developed within a complex Tongan kinship system structured around reciprocity, respect and collective wellbeing. Far from severing ties between birth and adoptive families, pusiaki ensures that children continue to move within and sustain relationships across households and generations. This stands in stark contrast to Western closed-adoption models that prioritize legal finality over relational continuity.

Children adopted through pusiaki typically retain enduring ties to their fonua (land), fāmili (family), and vā (the sacred relational space), preserving the cultural and spiritual foundations that shape identity and belonging in Tongan society.

In December 2025, SullivanLee presented her findings at the Pacific History Association Conference in Sāmoa, joining fellow Pacific scholars committed to Indigenous-led research methodologies. Their collective work honours pioneering figures such as Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta‘isi Efi, Sione Latukefu, Okusitino Mahina, and Albert Wendt, who advocate for Pacific histories that are created “with us, not about us.”

The research contributes to ongoing conversations about identity, belonging and care within Pacific communities, especially for adoptees navigating life across cultures and diasporas.

Restoring Connection Across the Moana

By placing pusiaki in its appropriate cultural and historical context, SullivanLee’s work restores relational care to the centre of adoption narratives in the Moana.

Her study not only deepens public understanding of Tongan kinship but also challenges institutions and policymakers to reconsider how Indigenous adoption frameworks might inform contemporary discussions of child welfare and cultural preservation.

As her research continues, it promises to reshape dialogues across academia, communities and the global Tongan diaspora—grounding them in a framework that honours movement, connection and the responsibilities of kin.

The roles of ‘ave e halá, fakahā teu and tā lahi in QSC’s centennial preparations

By
Kalino Latu
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Explainer – As Queen Sālote College (QSC) prepares to mark its historic 100‑year celebration on Wednesday, three major cultural practices have taken centre stage in the lead‑up to the event: fakahā teu, tā lahi, and ‘ave ‘o e hala.

These traditions are core elements of Tongan ceremonial protocol and are always observed before major national or royal occasions.

Last week, cultural festivities signalled the celebration’s momentum as students and ex‑students from Tonga and abroad streamed into the Royal Palace in Nuku‘alofa to make their presentations.

Fakahā teu (literally, formal showcasing of cultural attire) is the formal display of cultural attire, adornments, and ceremonial regalia crafted for the main day, particularly the garments worn by the faiva performers.

Tā lahi or tā lahi ‘o e faiva’ (literally, the big rehearsal) is the full-scale performance that takes place just before the main event. It ensures that performers, dancers, choir members, and cultural groups are aligned in timing, movement, formation, and protocol.

‘Ave ‘o e hala (literally, carry on the path) – refers to the customary act of presenting goods—such as handicrafts, yams, and a hog—carried along a designated space leading to the place (hala) where the event is taking place.

It serves as a way of fakahoko fatongia or updating the most important figures in the nofo ‘a kāinga—in this case, the King and Queen, who is also a QSC ex‑student, and their daughter—on the progress of the main preparations. Although they do not take part in these activities, they are formally informed as they look ahead and prepare for the celebration.

The presentations were also a tribute to the King and Queen, whose attendance on the centennial day will give the kātoanga a uniquely powerful cultural prestige.

This means these cultural activities were not ceremonial events in themselves, but they formed essential components of the larger celebration, demonstrating the practices of feveitokai‘aki (respectful conduct shaped by cultural expectations) and fefuafatongia‘aki (mutual cultural obligations).

It also highlights the custom of mu‘aki e ngāue—the publicly announcing of the finest and most important items among all the goods, food, performance and kava presented. This practice reflects the hierarchical structure at the heart of the nofo ‘a kāinga, where the ‘eiki (the king, nobles, or senior or leading kāinga) hold the cultural right to receive the first and best of everything the community produces.

For the QSC centennial, this practice has showcased the meticulous work of students, families, alumni, and church groups who have contributed their finest garments and cultural wear for the celebration.

The events held last week drew significant online attention as videos circulated showing the fakatū‘uta—the ceremonial arrival of food, pigs, kava, and woven goods at the Palace—followed by the coordinated presentation of the faiva, including the mā‘ulu‘ulu that will feature prominently in the centennial programme.

Misplaced bag at Op Shop pickup spot leads to drug seizure and $4510 arrest

By
Kaniva Staff
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Southland, NZ — Two teenagers were arrested after leaving a backpack containing cannabis and thousands of dollars at an op shop’s donation pickup area, where staff had mistakenly taken it inside believing it was a donated item

Police said the volunteer worker noticed the bag left at the shop’s front door — something completely normal for a location where donated goods are regularly dropped off overnight.

But when the worker brought the bag inside, it became immediately clear that this was no ordinary donation.

The bag released a strong, pungent smell, prompting the volunteer to check its contents. Inside were multiple bags of cannabis along with a large bundle of cash.

Realising the seriousness of what they had found, the Southland shop worker immediately alerted Police.

Agitated Teens Return for the “Misplaced” Bag

As the volunteer was on the phone with authorities, two teenagers — a 16‑year‑old male and a 16‑year‑old female — entered the store in a highly agitated state, demanding the return of a bag they claimed to have misplaced.

The pair quickly became aggressive toward staff, but thanks to the calm response of workers and the rapid arrival of local officers, the situation was safely contained.

Police detained the teenagers under the Search and Surveillance Act, and a search of the misplaced bag revealed 43.2 grams of cannabis, digital scales used for weighing drugs, several additional ziplock bags, and $3700 in cash.

The teens told officers they had left the bag outside the shop’s donation point while waiting for their car to be serviced at a nearby workshop. This admission led police directly to the associated vehicle.

Inside the teenagers’ vehicle, officers also discovered an air pistol, a police scanner, and a further $810 in cash, all of which were seized as part of the ongoing investigation.

Both youths were arrested and taken into custody, with police seizing a total of $4510 in suspected proceeds of illegal activity.

Community Vigilance Leads to Major Interception

Police praised the op shop staff for their quick thinking, composure, and immediate alert.

Their actions allowed officers to respond before the situation escalated further and ensured the secure recovery of drugs, cash, a firearm‑style weapon, and surveillance equipment.

For a humble second‑hand store accustomed to sorting donated clothing and household goods, the day ended with what police described as an “excellent result” — all thanks to a misplaced bag that ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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