There was an increase in the rate of arrests for drug possession and distribution over the first four months of the year in Tonga.
Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koro Vaka'uta
Local police said there were 84 arrests between January and April this year.
This was out of a total of 180 between April 2018 and April 2019.
Mele Manu Bloomfield, from the Taimi 'o Tonga newspaper says that they have been covering between two and three drug arrests a week, not including cases already before the court.
Deputy Police Commissioner Pelenatita Vaisuai said the Police Special Branch will continue its mission to stop the flow of drugs into Tonga and assistance from the community will go a long way to bringing to justice those engaged in "this damaging criminal activity".