The body of a 53-year-old fisherman from Fa’ala Palauli, Savai’i was successfully recovered, confirmed Police Commissioner Auapa’au Logoitino Filipo in an exclusive interview with the Samoa Observer. 

The recovery followed an extensive search operation carried out by a team of divers and local authorities earlier this week with the help of the untitled men of the village. 

According to the police report, the fisherman went out to sea on Friday night but failed to return to shore. 

He had been accompanied by two other men—his son and a friend—when the incident occurred. 

Concerned for his whereabouts, the matter was promptly reported to the Savai’i police, triggering an immediate investigation and a search mission. 

The recovery of the fisherman’s body took place earlier this week after days of intensive efforts by the search team.

In addition to the fishing tragedy, Police Commissioner Auapa’au provided an update on an ongoing investigation involving fraudulent activities targeting businesses and cabinet ministers. 

Auapa’au confirmed that the police are actively pursuing leads and hope to identify the individuals responsible for the scam operations.

The investigation centres around scammers who have been using unregistered phone numbers to contact cabinet ministers and business owners. These individuals impersonate business owners, borrowing money from the ministers under the false pretense of repayment, while similarly posing as Cabinet Ministers to solicit funds from businesses.

"This is a serious issue, and it is a concern for us," said Auapa’au. He also mentioned that surveillance footage from a local business, which had been affected by the scam, has proven instrumental in their efforts to track down the culprits. To date, two Cabinet Ministers and several businesses have fallen victim to these deceptive schemes.

However, the police face significant challenges in tracking the perpetrators.

One of the main obstacles is the use of unregistered SIM cards, which complicates their ability to trace the source of the calls and identify those responsible. 

The Commissioner emphasised that not all SIM cards in Samoa are properly registered with the telecommunications companies, making it more difficult for law enforcement to follow the digital trail.

Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant against such scams and continue cooperating with investigations to prevent further incidents.