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Man from Kokoland pulled over for speeding is now facing drug charges

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ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The driver of a white car wherein police allegedly found a black bag containing a white crystalline substance, marijuana joints, and drug paraphernalia has been arrested and charged.

Sefo Sefo, a.k.a “Joe”, 39, of Kokoland, made his initial appearance before District Court Judge Elvis P. Patea last week.

He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine; and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana - both felonies, carrying a jail term of  5-10 years, a fine of $5,000-$20,000 or both for each count.

Bail is set at $10,000

THE ALLEGATION

Sefo and another man - whose identity Samoa News is withholding until he is formally charged -  were in a white car that was pulled over by police in Fagaima on Jan. 5, 2020 for speeding.  Sefo was the driver.

When asked for identification, Sefo presented a driver’s license and an immigration ID, - both of which expired 3 years ago.

The cop who was speaking to Sefo said he noticed Sefo using his left foot to push something under his seat and when Sefo moved his foot, he saw a small baggie containing a white crystalline substance.

Sefo and the passenger were told to exit the vehicle and they were taken in for questioning while the vehicle was impounded. Sefo agreed but the passenger resisted, saying he needed to go buy food for his children who were home alone because his wife was at work.

After a brief discussion with police, the passenger agreed to go with them.

At the police station, the two cops who escorted Sefo said four stamp-sized baggies containing a white crystalline substance fell out when Sefo exited the police unit. One officer asked Sefo about the baggies and he responded, “I don’t know anything about those baggies. Those are not mine.”

When police checked where Sefo was seated, they found two stamp-sized baggies containing a white crystalline substance. During a body search, officers found two glass pipes containing a white crystalline substance on Sefo.

An inventory of the white vehicle netted a black school bag in the back seat, containing 2 stamp-sized baggies with a white crystalline substance, and one stamp-sized baggie containing 4 hand rolled marijuana joints.

The white crystalline substance tested positive for meth while the green leafy substance tested positive for marijuana.

In his statement to police, Sefo said he bought meth and marijuana from a man at the “Le Filifili” area. He said it was for the men woking at his plantation. Sefo allegedly told police he bought the drugs for personal use only, and not for resale.

When questioned by police, the passenger explained that he and Sefo are cousins, and they were on their way to their other cousin’s home in Vaitogi to play pool. The passenger said he didn’t know Sefo had drugs in the vehicle, but he heard from their other cousins that Sefo has a drug problem but he never actually seen him smoke any drugs or have it on him.

According to the passenger, Sefo never told him there were drugs in the vehicle, and he was surprised when police found them.The passenger was released after questioning.