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Former Customs agent arrested and charged with drug possession

[SN file photo]
ausage@samoanews.com

The former Customs agent who was arrested by police two weeks ago after he tried to retrieve a package that contained a large quantity of marijuana from the post office waived his right to a preliminary examination (PX) hearing yesterday, and his case is now bound over to the High Court for arraignment.

Teni Luamanu made his initial appearance before District Court Judge Fiti Suni last week, and at the time, he asked the Court to set his case for a PX yesterday morning. However, when his case was called, his attorney, Ryan Anderson informed the Court that his client wished to waive his PX hearing.

Luamanu is being charged with one count each of unlawful possession of marijuana and unlawful distribution of marijuana — both felonies.

According to the government’s case, Luamanu went to the Post Office to pick up a package that was addressed to him two weeks ago. The package had arrived on Monday and sat there for days until Luamanu showed up to claim it.

When the defendant arrived to retrieve the package, Customs agents who were on duty carried out a routine check of the package. And when they opened it, they allegedly found an estimated two (2) pounds of marijuana inside.

The Customs agents then alerted the detectives of the DPS Vice & Narcotics Unit and the defendant was taken in for questioning by police before he was escorted to the Territorial Correctional Facility for the usual 48-hour hold while the Attorney General's Office finalized the charges against him.

During his initial appearance on Monday, Luamanu’s attorney asked for a bail reduction in the amount of $5,000.

Luamanu, who is out on bond, is scheduled to appear in High Court for arraignment tomorrow at 9:00a.m.