Samoa’s Minister of Customs Masinalupe Makesi Pisi has told Parliament the government suspects methamphetamine is being manufactured locally.
He said traffickers are using new and sophisticated ways to smuggle methamphetamine into Samoa, revealing that some drugs were recently found concealed inside mustard bottles.
Masinalupe said trained sniffer dogs were unable to detect the drugs.
“These illegal drugs were brought in using mustard bottles, the kind you put on a hamburger, and that is why they were not detected,” he said.
Masinalupe thanked Customs officers, who eventually discovered the shipment, which has since been handed over to the police.
The Minister said the case highlighted how traffickers are constantly adapting to evade detection and emphasized that methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice,” is increasingly entering Samoa.
He also said there are suspicions that some methamphetamine is being produced locally, a development that adds another layer of concern for law enforcement.
Masinalupe said joint operations and information sharing between agencies are critical in stopping illegal drugs before they reach communities.
He highlighted several measures being implemented to strengthen border security, including the acquisition of additional sniffer dogs, the installation of new scanning machines, and enhanced training for Customs officers.
