Christina
Persico RNZ Pacific Senior bulletin editor
Fiji
police say 76 recently recovered parcels have tested
positive for cocaine.
The parcels were found in the
Lau Group, Qamea, Kadavum and Beqa.
The Fiji Police
Force is liaising with the Australian Federal Police (AFP),
their Australian counterparts, to ascertain the parcels’
source and destination.
Savusavu Police, on Vanua
Levu, were deployed on Tuesday last week to recover a clear
plastic containing white substance believed to be illicit
drugs, found washed ashore on Namena Island.
“The Fiji
Police Force acknowledges traditional and community leaders
for reinforcing the need to report the discoveries as
quickly as possible to police, to allow for the deployment
of officers to recover the packages,” the force said in a
statement.
“Members of the public are encouraged to
call 1681 and report the discovery of parcels and to avoid
handling the packages.”
Meanwhile, police have seized
a farm in Qaravutu with more than 5600 plants believed to be
marijuana.
A suspect was taken in for
questioning.
Fiji is in the grip of a drug crisis as
the region as a whole faces a battle against drug
trafficking. People in positions of authority are allegedly
among those involved. In May, a multinational police
investigation implicating
11 Fijian police officers in collusion with drug
traffickers was handed over to prosecutors.
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AFP
Commissioner Krissy Barrett said last month that 17
tonnes of illicit drugs, mostly cocaine, had been seized by
local and international law enforcement in the Pacific
since January.
A Fiji high chief, Ratu Tevita Mara, said
Fiji could be breeding a new generation of drug dealers and
it was time the National Security Council acted
urgently.
Pacific police chiefs have endorsed the
launch of Pacific Watch, an online crime-reporting
service, while Australian and New Zealand police have
announced they will fund a
strike force in Colombia to fight the Pacific drug
trade.
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