A Fijian citizen and resident of American Samoa, Rupeni Lupu, has been sentenced to six months at Tanumalala Prison after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
On March 20, 2025, the defendant arrived at the Faleolo Regional Terminal from American Samoa on a Talofa Airways flight.
He was transiting in Apia enroute to New Zealand later that afternoon. At the terminal, Customs officers x-rayed his luggage and became suspicious due to the presence of an object resembling a glass pipe.
The court heard that Customs officers inspected the luggage and found a small black bag with a zip-lock bag containing crystalline substances. The contents were later identified as methamphetamine, weighing 0.59 grams.
Justice Leitaualesa Daryl Clarke deducted several months from two-year starting point due to Lupu’s early guilty plea, his health condition, and family waiting for him in New Zealand.
He also deducted the number of days Lupu was held in custody since his arrest.
Lupu will be deported after serving his time.
Photo: Samoa Global News
