Police yesterday arrested Mark Atafua of Nuuuli in connection with the packets of crystal methamphetamine that customs agents at the airport found hidden in a Xerox printer in October.
Atafua, a former House Representative for Ituau District, is charged with possession of a controlled substance methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and importation of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.
The defendant was arrested from his workplace at the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority yesterday. His initial appearance is set for this afternoon in District Court.
Bail has been set at $60,000.
The printer arrived on the cargo flight on the Columbus Day holiday. Initial police investigations indicated that Atafua had mailed the printer from California to himself using a cargo freight forwarding company. However, when he arrived back in the territory and questioned by police he said there were no drugs when he mailed the printer from California to Hawaii where it was picked up by the cargo flight. He claimed that he was being set up. Six small baggies containing crystal methamphetamine, with a combined weight of 6 lbs. were found hidden in the printer.
