Tongan man charged after Northern Territory police seize 125kg of kava
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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- Police in Australia's Northern Territory charged a 50-year-old Tongan national over alleged possession and supply of a commercial quantity of kava.
- Officers also allege they found more than NZ$118,000 in cash, and charged him with dealing in proceeds of crime exceeding A$100,000 and entering Aboriginal land without a permit.
- The man is due to appear in Darwin's Nichols Place Court for a mention hearing.
Northern Territory police say they seized 125 kilograms of kava and more than NZ$118,000 in cash from a 50-year-old Tongan man near Ramingining.
Police located the man at an outstation about 13 kilometres from Ramingining after receiving anonymous information. They allege he was unlawfully remaining in Australia.
The illegal supply of kava causes harm in our remote communities and there is significant money to be made by people willing to exploit that demand.
The man faces charges of possessing and supplying a commercial quantity of kava, dealing in proceeds of crime exceeding A$100,000, and entering Aboriginal land without a permit. Police also seized a vehicle.
Remote Sergeant Noel Santiago described the seizure as an outstanding result for local police and the community. He said illegal kava supply harms remote communities and allows people to profit from local demand.
That's money that the community could have been using to buy essential goods and services.
"If you're bringing prohibited substances into our communities for profit, don't assume that being remote means you're out of reach. The majority of our communities don't want you here and will report you," Santiago said.
The man is due to appear at Darwin's Nichols Place Court on Tuesday at noon New Zealand time for a mention hearing.
If you're bringing prohibited substances into our communities for profit, don't assume that being remote means you're out of reach. The majority of our communities don't want you here and will report you.
About this summary
Originally published by RNZ Pacific in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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