A new law has come into force in Tonga which raises the maximum penalty for importing or exporting illegal drugs to 30 years hard labour or a half a million US dollars fine or both.
This means that the maximum fine is now 500 time higher than what it was before.
The new law also says anyone found guilty of cultivating or distributing illegal drugs will be fined 340-thousand dollars or given 25 years of hard labour or both.
Meanwhile, the Tonga Broadcasting Corporation says four people have been arrested on drugs-related charges.
