Police arrest 14 at Savalalo Fish Market Drug Raid

Apia, SAMOA – 15 January 2025 – Police arrested 14 people near the Savalalo Fish Market this afternoon in its latest raid in the fight against illegal drugs in the country.

Police also confiscated meth and marijuana and is looking at closing the shops near the Fish Market suspected to have been used as outlets for the rapidly growing illegal drugs trade.

Of the 14 arrested, 10 are male and 4 females and add to about 70 now held at the Tanumalala Prison who were arrested in police raids in December 2025 and are awaiting their first appearance in Court.

The latest raid happened at the time when high level talks were in progress between the Governor of American Samoa, Pula Nikolao Pula and the Prime Minister of Samoa, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi and law enforcement leaders of both countries, to strengthen the monitoring and surveillance efforts to stamp out illegal drugs in both Samoas.

The Samoa Police Service is now publishing the photos, names and villages of those arrested and held in custody as a deterrence mechanism.

Already, some Village Councils have taken action against the families of those identified by police as involved in the illegal drugs trade.

The government is also urging the Village Councils, churches and community support in the national efforts to wipe out illegal drugs that has already infiltrated and targeted young people and school children.

Samoa is now into the third month of a year-long national campaign “Say No to Illegal Drugs”.