Police calls on drug pusher Rodney Crichton to turn himself in

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 02 FEBRUARY 2022: Although police netted another successful drug raid at Vaigaga village this morning, they however missed a drug pusher they have been looking for since December.

Police arrested 3 men and a female and confiscated a truck load of materials including class drugs, computers, cash and electronic goods police suspect as stolen goods.

Of those charged two men have police records and had served time for drug related offences. The female who is between 18 and 25 years old has no police record. The four are in police custody  for questioning and will be named when they appear in court.

However, police missed Rodney Crichton who they describe as a drug pusher who left the location minutes before the police arrived.

In a press conference this afternoon, Deputy Police Commissioner, Auapa’au Logo Filipo publicly appealed to Rodney to turn himself in.

“The advice for you brother is to turn yourself in peacefully, because the police will never stop looking for you especially that we have an order from the Court to place you in custody,” said Auapa’au.

Rodney was arrested on drug charges last December and was apparently released by a Deputy Court Registrar.

Confiscated was $4,600 in cash and items such a mobile phones and flashdrives that would be vital to tracing contacts.

The Acting Police Commissioner, Afamasaga Samuelu Afamasaga said when it comes to custodians charged with drugs, they would do all in their power to remand that person under their custody until the accused appears in Court.

“Only the Judge has the authority to release them, but in Rodney’s case, it was the Deputy Registrar that released him,” said Afamasaga.

Rodney was at the house that was raided this morning but left before police arrived.

Fake licenses new toy for drug pushers
Among the items confiscated were 7 packets of methamphetamine weighing 2.36 grams, 3 bullets, 9 mobile phones, 3 utensils and smoking pipes, marijuana leaves, a measuring scale, a drone and a fake vehicle plate and $4,600 in cash.

Deputy Commissioner, Auapa’au said this is the second raid where police have discovered fake license plates.

A fake BLUD62 license plate confiscated this morning.

In a raid last December at Fa’atoia, police investigated the fake license plates they confiscated whether they were issued by the Land & Transport Authority or were created elsewhere.

“It is confirmed after investigation that the fake license plates were not issued by the LTA office but created illegally by drug pushers for the purpose of carrying out their illegal activities,” said Auapa’au.

He said this is the new ploy used by the drug pushers in their operations.

Parliament concern over border security to stamp out illegal drugs
In Parliament this week, MPs expressed their concern over the rapid increase of methamphetamine or “ice” as confirmed by police raids in December where a senior government official was arrested and charged.

The MPs suggested police to strengthen border security by securing additional K-9 dogs to help police and customs identify drugs at the borders.

Deputy Commissioner Papalii Monalisa Keti said the K-9 dogs project is funded under New Zealand Aid that recently helped strengthen border narcotics screening and identification by donating expensive equipment for police use.

At the moment, only one of two specialized trained dogs is still in service but can only work so many hours a day and parliamentarians point out the need of another specialized trained dog and its handler.

Members of the public are now saying that the police focus in the past had been on raiding marijuana farms in the villages.  But it has emerged that methamphetamine has been slowly building up around the town area.

Parliamentarians pointed out that there is a possibility that the drug is now manufactured locally and using very sophisticated distribution methods. The MPs urged police and customs to be vigilant in picking out signs of unusual cargo coming into the country and they were concerned that the police patrol boat is out of service.

The Acting Police Commissioner, Afamasaga Samuelu asked for the public’s support in informing the police as police is firm in its efforts to keep Samoa’s children and community safe from drugs.

Deputy Commissioner Auapaau Logo Filipo & Inspector Efo Paika inspecting a packet of methamphetamine.