arrests

A search warrant was executed at one of the suspect’s residences last Friday afternoon resulting in the recovery of stolen items.

Police said a 48-year-old man was arrested.

The alleged stolen items are noted to have been sold to the suspect by burglars of previous burglary and theft cases.

The other three suspects including a 46-year-old, a 30-year old and a 29-year-old were found at the residence at the time of the raid.

State police have arrested more than 2,400 people since Friday.

This includes husbands and relatives of alleged child brides, as well as priests who officiated the marriages.

BBC reports Opposition leaders have called the drive a "farce", alleging it disproportionately targets Muslims.

But Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says that his government's "war" is against child marriage and doesn't target one community.

Samoa's government declared a nationwide lockdown starting at 6pm Saturday until 6pm tonight.

All offices, shops, bars and restaurants are closed and only vehicles for essential services are allowed on the roads.

All frontline staff were taken into quarantine on Saturday and have tested negative so far.

Police have set up roadblocks around the country and can issue on the spot fines up to 2,000 tālā for those who break the state of emergency orders.

Arrests

“I must make it very clear here that no one is above the law,” Commissioner Mostyn Mangau said.

Mr Mangau added “We are expected to live and make decisions within the principles of the rule of law regardless of our positions in our society. I therefore forewarned that if anybody is found in breach of such illegal activities, Police will not hesitate to arrest and deal with him/her.”

Moïse, 53, was fatally shot early on Wednesday (local time) at his home by what officials said was a group of foreign, trained killers, pitching the poorest country in the Americas deeper into turmoil amid political divisions, hunger and widespread gang violence.

Colombian Defence Minister Diego Molano said initial findings indicated that Colombians suspected of taking part in the assassination were ex-members of his country's armed forces, and pledged to support the investigations in Haiti.

According to Samoa Police Service, the suspects are currently in police custody for further investigation of the allegations against them.

The Faleatiu village council informed the Police in regards to a rental vehicle they suspected of smuggling drugs, in the duration of their usual village curfew on Tuesday, 20 October 2020.

During the police search, plastic bags suspected of methamphetamine, smoking pipes or utensils and several marijuana plants were found.

Asomaliu was taken in from Fasitoo-tai on Thursday night.

SPS says it acknowledges the tremendous efforts of Fasitoo-tai pulenuu and village council as a result of his apprehension.

After weeks of running havoc in these villages, the village council stepped in and collectively and apprehended Asomaliu.

The village of Faleatiu also assisted police Thursday with the apprehension of both Iolamo Sanela moa and his brother Fotu Sanele Moa.

Two of them have been charged, with one of them admitting to setting two fires to the conveyor belt which feeds ore to the coast for shipping to the SLN smelter in Noumea

The third suspect has been transferred to prison after he had been given a jail term of 18 months in June.

The arrests came only days after 15 trucks were destroyed in Kouaoua.

Earlier police had removed a blockade of the mining site which has been the scene of protracted disputes this year with a group opposed to expanded mining.

They said four suspects have been arrested so far.

The operation followed the death of a 17-year-old boy earlier this month, who was killed in a car accident related to a suspected road race.

The police said they have set up static posts and are patrolling parts of Apia at specific times of the night.

They say social media posts by concerned members of the public could lead to charges being laid against people filmed driving recklessly on Saleufi Road last Saturday

The youths were apprehended by the village council.

Two of the suspects were taken to police on Monday after a council meeting to discuss last Thursday's roadblock - the second in the village.

During the latest roadblock a toilet bowl was put in the middle of the road with sand bags lining each side.

A police spokesperson, Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo, said the two suspects had revealed another person was involved during questioning and that person was also arrested.