Man charged nearly 2 years after drug raid near Futiga landfill

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Manaia Su’a is being charged with possession of controlled substance, to-wit: methamphetamine (meth) in violation of drug laws of American Samoa. The alleged crime is said to have occurred on July 1, 2021, in Futiga, according to the court affidavit.

Bail is set at $5,000.

If convicted of the felony charge, the crime is punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than 5 years, nor more than 10 years, a fine of not less than $5,000, nor more than $20,000, or both.

His arraignment was scheduled for Apr. 19, 2023.

Su’a, according to the affidavit, was part of a group of arrests made during a raid on “the abandoned home of Sue and Namu Aetui located in Futiga,” near the landfill. Su’a was apprehended as he was fleeing with others from the abandoned Aetui home.

The arrests initiated from information received from a Confidential Informant (C.I.).

A pat down of Su’a found nothing on his person. However, a male individual, who was in a vehicle parked in the vicinity of the Aetui home, in the driver’s seat, identified a glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance found in the vehicle, as belonging to Su’a.

Su’a was Mirandized at the Leone Police Substation and made a statement — verbal and written — that he was with his neighbor, the driver of the vehicle found at the Aetui home, to find a man about a load of dirt for which Su’a had paid. During the ride, Su’a said he told the driver (neighbor) that he wanted to buy meth and he directed him to the Aetui home where he made the purchase; and while he was there police raided the place.

The driver of the vehicle, who was also arrested, confirmed Su’a’s account of the events.

Eight individuals were arrested during the raid, of which two were later released, one was a minor and released to the custody of his mother, with the remaining five booked and taken to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await their court appearances.