Days before leaders including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese land in Nuku’alofa, Tongan police arrested 17 people as part of an international investigation into the drug trade.
“There’s been a clear intent for the Comancheros to expand their reach and in so doing to start up a chapter, a standalone chapter of the Comancheros in Tonga,” the country’s Police Commissioner Shane McLennan told TVNZ.
TVNZ named one man as Tongan-born Eneasi Taumoefolau, 43, who moved to Australia in 1989 but was deported in October 2022. He allegedly committed a string of criminal offences including repeated drug trafficking and firearm offences in Australia.
The arrests confirmed this week came with the confiscation of Comanchero T-shirts and patches, cars, and large amounts of methamphetamine.
Of concern to many in the Kingdom of Tonga, senior business identities and civil servants were among those arrested with Taumoefolau.
“Tonga being a very small kingdom, their presence and any sort of outlaw motorcycle element is one of major concern,” McLennan said.
Like many nations in the Pacific, Tonga is grappling with increased use of meth – which is particularly troubling in deeply religious and family oriented societies.
Australia’s practice of deporting to New Zealand Australian-raised Kiwi citizens who commit crimes is a longstanding diplomatic problem between the two countries.
Wellington has long argued that Australia is responsible for individuals who are raised in Australia and those individuals stand a better chance of rehabilitation in their own communities.
It is not yet clear whether any Pacific nations will use the summit or bilateral meetings with Albanese or other Australian officials to make similar protestations.
The leaders meeting begins on Monday, with Albanese due to arrive on Tuesday night.
