Aust Aircraft to Tackle Illegal Drug Trade, Build Border Surveillance
The arrival of an Australian C27 aircraft will boost Fiji’s capabilities to tackle the trend of illegal narcotics in the country.
Receiving the Australian C27 aircraft at Nausori International Airport the Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua said the cost of the pilot and the maintenance would be covered by the Australian Government.
“Fiji and Australian are working together to build resilience to traditional and non traditional security threats,” Mr Tikoduadua said.
“This collaboration is to deliver a defence pacific air programme under the vuvale partnership.
“This year, we are reminded of the growing threats of extreme weather, floods and the worrying trends of illicit narcotics. We must work together to tackle the challenges facing our nation.” The Australian Air Force team will be deployed to Fiji on an ongoing basis for two out of every eight weeks.
“This is the first rotation for Fiji, we must first work on effective national coordination. We live in an age where we cannot work as individuals,” he said.
Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Ewen McDonald said the aircraft would be based in Nausori.
“The aircraft can head around into places that other aircrafts can’t in terms of its ability to land as well as survey the Fiji’s waters,” Mr McDonald said.
“So again, it’s the priorities of the Fiji Government and its people to have surveillance around illegal fishing, or, of course, the transnational crime that’s been reported here in recent days around illicit drug trafficking and the likes.”