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Samoa Customs Intercepts 10gms of Meth Hidden in Milk Powder
Apia, Samoa – 27 November 2025 – The Ministry of Customs and Revenue (MCR) has intercepted another shipment of methamphetamine in less than seven days. The street value of the 99grams of the seized drugs is estimated to be around $100,000 Samoan tala.
Customs Border Officers detected the prohibited drugs during a routine inspection of consignments arriving from American Samoa at the Matautu Wharf, where officers identified anomalies in the consignment and carried out a detailed examination.
The prohibited drug was concealed in a can of Milk Powder (Coffee Mate). The concealment method demonstrates the continued attempts by criminals to smuggle illicit drugs into Samoa through ordinary goods. The swift actions and vigilance of the officers led to the discovery and immediate seizure of the illicit drugs.
A 38-year-old male of Lalovaea, Samusu Aleipata, Fogatuli and Magiagi and a Filipino lady connected to the shipment were referred to the Samoa Police, Prison and Corrections Service (SPPCS).
The male defendant has been charged with Possession of Narcotics (Methamphetamine) and Importation of Prohibited Goods and is jointly charged with the female defendant with, Possession of Utensils.
Both MCR and SPPCS are working collaboratively to ensure that the defendants are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
This interception highlights the ongoing efforts by the Samoa Customs and Samoa Police under the “Say No to Illicit Drugs campaign” to combat the smuggling of methamphetamine and other illicit drugs into Samoa.
The Chief Executive Officer Fonoti Talaitupu Li’a-Taefu said Customs continues to strengthen its enforcement strategies through advanced inspection technologies, enhanced intelligence-sharing, targeted profiling, and strong cooperation with both domestic and international law enforcement partners.
She commends the professionalism and commitment of all officers involved in this operation and reaffirms its dedication to protecting Samoa from the threat of transnational drug smuggling.
“Samoa, we must stand together to eradicate illicit drugs from our community and hold criminals accountable. The cowardice actions of a small number of Samoan criminals involved in the illegal trade of drugs for their own benefits has a huge negative impact to the overall peacefulness of Samoa,” said Fonoti.
Vitz
December 20, 2025 at 5:49 am
Two ports of entry of drugs into the country that police and customer need to be on high alert on, Airport & Wharfs especially flights & ships coming from American Samoa. The Mexican Cartel is notorious for drug trafficking around the world and now made its way to America Samoa primarily as part of a “Pacific drug highway” used for transit to larger markets such as Australia and NZ. The drugs are trafficked into American Samoa, which then serves as a source or transit point for the neighboring independent nation of Samoa.