Two former drug convicts are back in court after separate searches by police of vehicles they were driving and their persons found drugs, paraphernalia associated with drug use, and money.
The two, Nathan Upulasi and Vito Lemau, were arraigned in High Court last week and pled not guilty.
Upulasi is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine with intent to distribute and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine. His bail was set at $20,000.
The government alleges that a police search of a vehicle parked in front of a store in Malaeimi on July 12, found a small baggie containing white crystalline substances, a large glass pipe containing a thick crystalline substance, two small baggies containing crystalline substances, cut up straws with crystalline residue and $3,850 in cash mainly $20 notes.
Tests confirmed the crystalline substances to be methamphetamine.
Upulasi was identified as the driver. A male passenger who was in the vehicle, a carpenter, told police the defendant picked him up to fix his mothers house.
He said that he saw ice in the defendant’s vehicle and also at his home in Ottoville.
Additionally the passenger said that he’s notices many vehicles going to the defendant’s home every time he went to fix the mother’s house.
Defendant Vito Lemau is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, and one count of unlawful possession for a controlled substance, marijuana.
On the same day of the search of Upulasi’s vehicle, police executed a search warrant on a pickup truck that Lemau was driving in Fagatogo.
They found on Lemau a small baggie and a glass pipe containing a crystalline substance in his pant pockets.
Lemau claimed that he found the pipe in front of an Asian store in his village and the small baggie was given to him by his best friend whom he refused to identify.
He said that it’s been two months since his friend supplied him with drugs and sometimes he borrows drugs and pays for it later when he has money.
