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Nervous passenger gives himself away during traffic stop

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ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man who is on probation for stealing and burglary was arrested again on the allegation he violated local drug laws.

Wilson Moana was a passenger in a white pick-up truck that was pulled over by police two weekends ago in Pavaiai where a glass pipe (commonly used to smoke meth) containing white crystalline substance and a baggie containing green leafy substance were found inside his pants pocket.

The government claims that on the early morning of Oct. 12, 2020 around 5:45a.m, two police officers patrolling in Pavaiai observed a blue pick-up truck with an expired tag on the rear license plate.

Police officers immediately pulled the vehicle over with two male individuals inside. Moana, the defendant, was a passenger.

The driver of the vehicle, Pele Tavita is the owner of the vehicle, who provided his valid immigration I.D and driver’s license to officers. The vehicle registration had expired in August 2020. Tavita received traffic citations from the officers for violating traffic laws.

While officers were speaking to the driver, the defendant, Moana, opened the passenger’s door and exited the vehicle. He was instructed by an officer to get back inside the vehicle; however, Moana continued to stand outside of the vehicle ignoring the officer’s request.

While Moana was walking around at the back of the vehicle, he tried to reach inside the left pocket of his pants, including trying to avoid the officer who walked over to him.

Officers instructed Moana to remove his hands from his pocket, but Moana did not comply. Officers immediately arrested and and placed him inside the police unit.

A body search was conducted on Moana where officers discovered a glass pipe containing white crystalline substance inside that tested positive for methamphetamine. Officers also found a small stamp-sized baggie containing green leafy substance during the body-search. The green leafy substance was tested and turned out positive for marijuana.

The defendant told officers he got the glass pipe containing meth and the baggie of marijuana from his friend for $30, and the reason he smoked meth is to give him strength while performing his work at his plantation. Marijuana is for his friend.

The driver of the vehicle was also interviewed by police and told officers that Moana flagged him down for a ride and asked him to drop him at his friend’s in Malaeloa.

According to the driver’s statement, it was on their way to drop Moana to his friend’s house when officers pulled over his vehicle for an expired tag.

Moana made his initial appearance in court. He’s charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies, punishable by term of imprisonment from 5 to 10 years, a fine not more than $20,000, or both.

Bail is set at $5,000.