Alamoni Liavaʻa
Epalahame Liavaʻa, better known as Alamoni Liavaʻa (born circa 1959) is a Tongan former rugby union player. He played as centre. He is known by his nickname "Moni"[2]
| Birth name | Epalahame Liavaʻa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 1959 (age 63–64) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tonga | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1,70 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 82 kg (181 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Auckland Grammar School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Sione Liavaʻa (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career
His first cap for Tonga was against England, in Nuku'alofa, on 1 June 1979. Between 1985 and 1987, Liava'a captained Tonga.[3] He was also present in the 1987 Rugby World Cup squad, where he was the vice-captain.[4] He played all the three pool stage matches and scored a conversion kick in the match against Wales. His last match for Tonga was also in that year's World Cup, against Ireland, in Brisbane. He also represented Tonga in rugby league at the 1986 Pacific Cup.[5]
After career and deportation
In the 1993, years after his retirement as rugby player, Liavaʻa got involved with the drug trafficking business.[6] He smuggled cocaine to New Zealand by stuffing it inside yams.[2] He also had contacts with the Hawaii-based drug boss Richard "Tiki" Taumoepeau.[7] After being caught by the New Zealand Police through wiretapping, Liavaʻa was put under surveillance and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and deported back to Tonga, where he lives a hermit-like lifestyle on the west of Tongatapu.[2]
Personal life
He is the brother of the late Sione Liava'a, former chairman of the Tonga Public Service Commission.
Notes
- Tonga Rugby League 1986 Pacific Cup team Tonga National Rugby League
- Tony wall and Blair Ensor (6 November 2016). "Corruption in Paradise: From the Rugby World Cup, to cocaine smuggling, to life as a hermit". Stuff. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- "Deportation order upheld for leader of cocaine gang". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
- Corruption in Paradise: From the Rugby World Cup, to cocaine smuggling, to life as a hermit stuff.co.nz
- Tonga Rugby League 1986 Pacific Cup team Tonga Rugby League
- GREGORY, ANGELA (2001-03-18). "Deportation order upheld for leader of cocaine gang". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
- Tony wall and Blair Ensor. "Corruption in Paradise". Stuff. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
