29 Jan 2008

Tonga's Minister of Police call for review of firearms laws

12:00 pm on 29 January 2008

Tonga's Minister of Police is calling for a review of the law regulating firearms.

Siaosi 'Aho says the spate of recent crime involving illegal weapons that has resulted in deaths, has raised concerns.

Mr 'Aho says its likely these weapons are coming in containers from New Zealand, Australia and the United States of America.

He says not having tough enough penalties to deter offenders, is just one part of the law that needs changing.

"Better control as far as importing of a weapons into Tonga. As it stands at present we have for the meantime stopped licensing any new weapons to come into the country. I think that this is part of the problem, so we have to relook at the whole legislation."

Siaosi 'Aho says the last change in Tonga's firearm law was in 1988.

Police are appealing to the public for information about anyone who might be in possession of an illegal firearm.