Vehicle checks at Faleolo International Airport have been discontinued following a letter from the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration enquiring whether its vehicles were subject to inspection and on what legal authority the practice was based.

The letter, also copied to the Attorney General’s Office, prompted the Samoa Airport Authority (SAA) to halt the checks, which had been conducted at the airport’s main entrance.

No formal public announcement has been made by the Authority regarding the change.

Following a notice issued last week, SAA security officers were observed stopping vehicles at the airport entrance, inspecting handbags, and searching the inside and outside of cars on Monday.

This was being done without the presence of police officers.

Passengers were asked to exit their vehicles during the searches, except for an elderly woman. Notably, no police officers were present, raising concerns about the legality of these enforcement actions.

A taxi driver subjected to an unexpected search expressed frustration over the lack of explanation from officers.

“They just went into my car, started looking under the seats randomly, and even touched around my cousin’s suitcase,” he told the Samoa Observer on Monday. 

“I didn’t know what they were looking for, and they didn’t say. It would have been nice to get some reasoning behind it.”

Another traveller questioned the process after seeing some cars stopped while others passed through unchecked. “I wasn’t expecting to be searched today,” she said.

Samoa Police had told the Samoa Observer that they were seeking clarification from the Attorney General’s Office on the legality of the searches.