6 Nov 2006

Two American Samoan brothers guilty of drugs offrences

2:07 pm on 6 November 2006

Twin brothers, Merlin and Marlon Uli, have been found guilty in American Samoa of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and marijuana following a four-day trial.

After deliberating for three hours, the six-member jury found each brother guilty of two counts of unlawful possession of controlled substances.

The conviction has been hailed as a major victory for the government in its fight against drugs.

The defendants in their late 20's have long been suspected by authorities as being part of a major drug dealing operation.

The pair will be sentenced in January.

American Samoa's mandatory drug laws provide a sentence of 5-10 years for possession with no possibility for probation or parole.