Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The driver of a red pick-up truck in which investigators allegedly found a black pouch containing a green leafy substance and white crystalline substance has been arrested and charged with unlawful possession of illegal drugs in the territory.

Opetaia Valaau made his initial appearance in District Court two weeks ago. He later waived his right to a preliminary examination and his case has been bound over to High Court.

Valaau, a 52-year-old man from Samoa is charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies punishable by imprisonment of 5-10 years, a fine between $5,000-$20,000 or both.

Bail is set at $10,000

THE CASE

On Dec. 17th, 2020, two police officers stopped a red pick-up truck in front of the Army Reserve center in Tafuna, after observing it speeding and it also had no lights over the rear license plate.

The vehicle had three adults inside it. The driver was a female, and passengers were two males. One male was sitting in the passenger’s seat, who was later identified as Opetaia Valaau, the defendant in this matter, while the other was riding in the back seat, who was identified as Filemoni Iosua.

The driver was found to have no driver’s license, or any other form of identification on her. It was later confirmed that her license expired Apr. 12, 2019.

Valaau in the meantime was observed as acting suspiciously — moving around; trying to reach into his rear pocket and at the same time, using his left foot to push something under his seat. And when Valaau moved his left foot, the officer saw a cut up straw (commonly used to package methamphetamine) lying on the floor of the vehicle under Valaau’s seat.

Everyone was then instructed to exit the vehicle.

The driver was told that the vehicle would be impounded at the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS)  and all of them were being taken in for questioning.

Valaau fled the scene after he exited the vehicle and police officers chased him until he was apprehended and later transported to the TPS for questioning.

Before Valaau was put inside a police unit, he was patted down and officers discovered a small stamp-sized baggie inside the back pocket of Valaau’s pants containing green leafy substance.

Officers continued their search and later discovered a glass pipe commonly used to smoke meth, containing white crystalline substance in the front pocket of Valaau’s pants.

An inventory search was conducted on the vehicle in the presence of Valaau, the owner of the vehicle. No illegal drugs were found inside the vehicle, only paraphernalia including an empty cut-up straw and three empty stamp-sized baggies lying on the ground.

When asked about the illegal drugs found in his possession, Valaau apologized to officers for his action and admitted that the drugs belonged to him. He further stated to officers that he instructed his girl friend to drive the vehicle while he was sitting in the passenger seat. On their way to the store, they picked up his friend Filemoni Iosua for a ride.

Both Iosua and the female driver were later released after questioning.