Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On July 26, 2024, Airport police contacted the Tafuna Police Substation about an individual who was found by one of the airline’s employees trying to send methamphetamine to Samoa via aircraft.

Failauga Malu, the suspect, was apprehended and later charged with:

Count 1: Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver (methamphetamine) — a felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than 20 years, a fine of not more than $20,000, or both; and,

Count 2: Possession of Controlled Substances (methamphetamine) — a felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 5 years and not more than 10 years, a fine of not less than $5,000 and not more than $20,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $2,000.

According to the affidavit, on July 26, at around 1:42 p.m, Airport police reported a Narcotics case that was reported to their office by an employee of Talofa Airways.

The officers responded to the call and upon arrival they spoke with the Talofa Airway employee who had reported the case.

The employee stated that a male individual (identified as Failauga Malu) walked into their office and stated he has an envelope that he needs to send to Apia. After she received a yellow envelope she asked Malu what’s inside the envelope where upon Malu told her it was documents.

She then told the suspect that she needed to open it to verify the properties that are inside. The suspect agreed and when she opened the yellow envelope she saw another white envelope inside. When she opened the white envelope she discovered what she thought was crystal meth (methamphetamine).

The employee then stated she told two of the ramp boys to assist her with holding Malu and to contact airport security. The employee was also able to take the suspect’s picture, and had on hand what she had found inside the envelope.

The employee stated that the suspect pointed to the vehicle that dropped him off and gave him the envelope.

When the Ramp workers tried to stop the red pickup truck, the truck sped off.

Airport police then took Malu down to their office. The police officers spoke with the Airport officer who had seized the evidence which was a yellow envelope with a white envelope inside along with two medium sized baggies that contained crystalline substances.

The evidence was then transferred over to the custody of the responding officers.

The Airport officer also stated that there was footage of Malu getting out of the red pickup truck and also when the pickup truck sped off.

The suspect was detained and taken to the TPS for further investigation.

When the officers transported the suspect, he spontaneously said that he was picked up by his neighbor (later identified as Misi Siua) and told him that he was going to drop him off at his house but instead they came straight to the airport. He explained that the driver (who is also his neighbor) told him to take the envelope and the $20 to the lady at the counter. He then stated he told Siua that he does not have an ID to give to them if they ask for one.

Upon arrival at the TPS, the suspect stated he wants to make a voluntary and written statement.

He said that he did not know what was inside the envelope and if he knew he would not have taken it. He explained that he only wanted a ride from Siua to his house since they are neighbors.

The suspect also stated that when Siua picked him up, he told him he needed help with mowing his lawn but instead of going to mow his lawn they headed straight for the airport. When they got to the airport, Siua handed him a yellow envelope and $20 with instructions to take it straight to the lady at the counter. He then told Siua he does not have an ID, and Siua told him to just take it straight to the lady and not to worry about an ID.

He said he gave the envelope to the lady and the lady stated that she was going to open the envelope where upon he agreed. The suspect then noted that the lady found the baggies.

The suspect told the lady he did not own the package and then pointed to Siua’s car where he was parked in front. Malu then stated that when the airport security walked to Siua’s car, it sped off.

Malu requested that he wants to be a witness for the government.

One of the officers tested the white crystalline substance that was contained in the medium sized baggies and the substance was tested positive for meth. The responding officer was also present during the testing of the evidence.

The suspect is identified as a 24-year-old U.S National.