By Staff Reporters/

Apia, SAMOA – 26 June 2024 – A police officer at the Tanumalala Prison has been suspended after the drug methamphetamine was found on him three weeks ago.

A senior police official told Talamua that the officer who was on duty went to give a packet of cigarettes to an accused person in a holding cell.

The officer was cleared after going through the prison screening and scanning process, but not the packet of cigarettes.

When the packet was scanned, methamphetamine was found hidden inside the packet.

He is suspended and the police investigation continues.

Police officers drug screening
In parliament today, the Minister of Police, Faualo Harry Schuster said police officers now go through random drug screening.

The Minister praised the initiative as an example of the police taking the lead in the fight against the growing drugs problem which several MPs expressed serious concern about during the current debate on the 2024/2025 Main Budget Estimates.

The suggestion to have police officers and public servants screened for drugs has been made before in parliament and Faualo said there are sensitivities around the issue especially to do with human rights.

The Minister did not give details as to which entity is doing the testing for the police but given various implications of police involvement in the local drugs scene, there have been suggestions for the screening to be done by an independent entity.