Suspected cartel killers passed through Fiji

The two Samoan nationals arrested near the Cambodian border over the killing of the alleged head of the Sydney-based Coconut Cartel had transited through Fiji.

This masthead understands they travelled through Fiji using their Samoan passports.

However, international media reports stated that 27-year-old Vaa Vaa and 23-year-old Steve Tafia, who were initially believed to be Australians, had travelled using fake passports.

It remains unclear whether the two Samoan nationals had transited through another country.

Ministry of Immigration permanent secretary Aliki Salusalu said the ministry was still trying to ascertain the travel history of the two Samoans under the instruction of Minister for Immigration Viliame Naupoto.

Lorenzo Lemalu, 24, was shot dead on May 21 outside a Vietnamese restaurant on orders of “an individual abroad”.

The Coconut Cartel, made up mostly of Sydney-based Polynesians, is a breakaway criminal group from the Alameddine crime network, also based in Sydney, Australia.