A Solomon Islands Police Officer Was Investigated for Dumping Meth in the Sea. Now He’s Poised to Become Commissioner.

In-depth Solomons obtained a memo showing prosecutors recommended suspending and charging Deputy Commissioner Ian Vaevaso in mid-2025 for allegedly destroying drug evidence, intimidating officers, and lying to investigators; the prosecution's requests for suspension and an interview were not acted on by the police chief or the Police and Prison Services Commission, leaving the case stalled while Vaevaso remains a top candidate for police commissioner as drug trafficking in the Pacific increases.