Tonga police constable arrested for drug possession
Aleksandr Shyripa
A police constable in Tonga has been arrested for drug possession.
Matangi Tonga
reported a 21-year-old male probationary constable was arrested at the weekend.
During the same drug operation in Nuku'alofa, two other men were also arrested for allegedly selling drugs.
The arrest was part of an operation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Unit.
Tonga Police said the constable has been suspended without pay and will face court at a later date.
The Commissioner of Police, Geoff Turner said this is not a reflection of police and thanked other officers for their hard work.
"This is not a reflection of who we are," he said.
It comes amid widespread drug issues in the region.
In Fiji, police and Customs staff were
recently charged with drug smuggling
.
Pacific police chiefs discussed the region's drug trafficking problems on a
panel at the World Police Summit
in Dubai.
Fiji Police Force Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu, Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Commissioner Mostyn Mangau and New Zealand Police Assistant Commissioner Bruce O'Brien participated in a fireside chat at the World Police Summit in Dubai.
Photo:
Pacific Island Chiefs of Police Facebook
There are calls for better drug rehabilitation centres in Tonga with drug crime and health issues visablevisible on the streets.
RNZ Pacific's Tonga correspondent, Kalafi Moala, said someone can walk down the street and see young beggars seeking money for drugs, or motor vehicles being driven recklessly.
He said it's critical for Tonga to have somewhere to rehabilitate people.
"If you have a young man, a young woman here that's addicted, you go to the hospital, you're given some pills for treatment, but there's no place where they can be rehabilitated," he said.
"You talk to families, and the family will tell you they've got a son that's got a problem, but there's nowhere.
"The Salvation Army has a small counselling outfit here, but they don't have a rehabilitation centre, so that's a really big issue.
"How can we heal and how can we restore the negative impact of drugs in our society? Until we do that, just stemming the flow is not going to help Tonga in general."
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