Police K9 dog suspected to have been overdosed

Apia, Samoa – 27 November 2025 – The lone K9 dog used in Police and Customs operations to detect illegal drugs at Samoa’s borders is undergoing medical treatment at the national hospital due to a suspected overdose.

The Acting Commissioner of Police, Leiataua Afamasaga confirmed the K9 dog is undergoing medical treatment and police are investigating if there was any foul play.

The K9 dog has always been under the care of the Ministry of Police.

Last night, Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi said the Ministry of Police is in the process of obtaining two more K9 dogs from New Zealand as the government places top priority on protecting the country’s borders from the entry of illegal drugs.

He said the latest bust where a cabinet ministers’ driver is in police custody as the suspect, was detected through an x-ray unit that was donated during the CHOGM meeting in October last year.

The 1.4 kgs of methamphetamine was hidden in a box of chicken shipped from American Samoa on the Lady Naomi 111.

The suspect has collected previous consignments from American Samoa but had gone undetected as the K9 had not been available and the consignment did not go through the security x-ray unit at the wharf.

The Prime Minister also announced aa new government policy where all public servants will be required to be drug tested in the future.

He said that there were a lot of criticisms from the public implicating some police officers in drugs and that some of the officers who had resigned had been tested positive when random tested.

Last month, the police and government launched a 12 months public awareness campaign against illicit drugs.