Police and custom officers had seized undeclared jewellery with a revenue value of TOP$230,000 including other items on Saturday 11 in Halaleva.
Cash and cheque of over TOP$6,500, herbal medications, electronic devices, one fiream and 1480 ammunition were among the confiscated goods.
Tonga Customs and Revenue boss ʻAnisi Kulufeinga Bloomfield said more than 50 Customs, Inland Revenue and Police officers raided a Chinese property and business in the area at 8am
A statement from the Ministry says:
The Tonga Customs initiated this operation code named: Operation Sparkling in responding to mounted intelligence and investigation.
These jewellery items including 9 – 22 carat gold jewellery, diamonds and pearls were located at the dwelling house with price tags varied from TOP$100 – TOP$1600.
It is alleged that these uncustomed items are to be of Asian origin and were smuggled into country through passengers of commercial flights without declaring at the border.
These items were smuggled into Tonga to be further traded in his licensed premises.
The total value of these jewellery items are over TOP$230,000. The total duty evaded by this company is approximately TOP$80,000.
This business has been operating for more than 6 years but has no Customs records of imports of jewellery by the business or its owners.
The Tonga Customs has vested interest in this situation as these jewellery items were being sold as imported goods and offered for commercial exchange at comparable prices without any payment of duties or taxes.
Bloomfield said that he is impressed with robust and collaboration efforts of the core law enforcement agencies in sharing resources and capabilities. He is determined to strengthen their cooperation.
The Tonga Customs in partnership with Tax Authorities and Tonga Police are continuing in their enforcement efforts to investigate entities who continue to breach the Customs laws across the islands of Tonga.
Naʻe puke ʻe ha kau ʻōfisa kasitomu mo polisi ha siueli ne ʻikai fakahā ke tute feʻunga hono mahuʻingá mo e paʻanga ofi he $230,000 mo ha ngaahi koloa kehe ʻi he Tokonaki ko hono 11.
Naʻe kau he puke ko ʻeni mo ha sieke mo ha paʻanga kesi ʻe $6,500, faitoʻo hēpolo, ngaahi meʻangāue fakaʻuhila, meʻatau ʻe taha mo ha mahafu ʻe 1480.
Pehē ʻe he pule ʻo e kasitomú,ʻAnisi Kulufeinga Bloomfield ne fakahoko ʻe he kau ʻōfisa ʻe mei toko 50 ko ʻeni e huá ʻaki ha tohi kumi koloa he taimi 8png.
Mahino ko e ʻohofi ko ʻení ne fai ia ʻi ha ʻapi mo ha pisinisi ʻa ha Siaina ʻi Halaleva
Ko foʻi ngāue fakatotolo ʻeni ne ui ko e Operation Sparkling peá ne fai ia hili hano maʻu ha ngaahi fakamatala fakapulipuli mo ha fakatotolo.
Ko e siueli ne kau ai ʻa e koula kalati ʻe 9 – 22, taiamoni mo e tofe ʻa ia ne maʻu ʻeni kuo ʻosi fakatekiteki kinautolu ʻaki ʻa e fakaʻilonga mahuʻinga fakapaʻanga mei he $100 – $1600 ʻi he fale nofoʻangá
ʻOku tukuakiʻi ko e ngaahi koloa taʻetute ko ʻení mei ʻĒsia peá ne fakafufuuʻi ʻikai fakahā hake ki Tonga ʻi ha kau pāsese ʻi ha ngaahi puna fakakomēsiale.
Ne fakatau atu leva ʻa e koloa ʻomi fakafufuú ni ʻi hono fale koloá kuo ʻosi laiseni.
Naʻe ʻova e mahuʻinga ʻo e siuelí ni ʻi he $230,000. Ko e tute ne hao ʻikai totongi he foʻi ngāue fakafufū ko ʻení ne ofi he $80,000.
Kuo laka he taʻu ʻe ono e lele ʻa e pisinisi ko ʻení ka ʻoku teʻeki hano lēkooti ʻi he kasitomú ki hano hū mai ʻe he toko taha ʻaʻaná ha siueli.
ʻOku tokanga ʻa e Kasitomú ki he tuʻunga pehení he ʻoku fakatau atu ʻa e siuelí ni ia ʻo tuʻunga tatau mo e ngaahi koloa naʻe tuté kae hili ko iá ne ʻikai totongi tute ia ʻo hangē ko e ngaahi koloa tatau ka ne totongi tute kinautolu iá.