Samoa police step up manhunt for escaped convict

Samoa Police have stepped up their search for an escaped convict who has been on the run since January last year, with an armed raid in the early hours of Tuesday.

  Police Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil told Talamua Media the raid targeted Pati Chong Nee and another man alleged to have threatened officers by firing a firearm on Monday.

Fuiavailili said the raid took place at Tapatapao, an inland village southwest of Apia.

Police believed Chong Nee was being harboured there alongside Sosene Asomaliu.

However neither were found.

Police say they acted on intelligence that Chong Nee was still in the area.

During the raid a man was arrested for aiding and harbouring the escaped convict.

He also had in his possession five firearms which were confiscated.