‘Significant detection for Pacific’
ABF Pacific (Offshore) Network counsellor Superintendent Uriah Turner has described the recent drug bust as a significant detection for the Pacific, one that would have a huge impact on syndicates seeking to import drugs in Fiji and across to Australia.
“First of all, we would just like to congratulate the Fijian law enforcement agencies for that drug bust. We think it’s a significant detection across the Pacific,” Mr Turner said.
“The fact that Fiji police have seized that here, up in Nadi, it gets those drugs off the street, and it really does have an impact on the syndicates that are seeking to import drugs into Fiji, but also across to Australia.
“I think from our experience, we know that a lot of drugs do get sent from other countries and a lot of the times, due to the price that people are willing to pay, a lot of it is destined for cultures and countries such as Australia and New Zealand.”
Mr Turner said in terms of Australia’s support in the investigation of the bust, Australian Federal Police was working with the Fiji Police Force on this.
“Our response is being led by our Australian Federal Police who works with their Fiji police counterparts by sharing intelligence and the Australian Border Force plays more of a supportive role.
“Particularly, working with customs to look at some of the threats to the borders and try and ascertain what we need to do to, I guess make sure that no more drugs get into the country, and also understand to make sure that it doesn’t get out of the country and head to places like Australia.”
Local police seized over three tonnes of methamphetamine in the first raid at an abandoned house in Legalega, Nadi on January 14. A second consignment of 1.1 tonnes of meth was seized a week later in Maqalevu, Nadi, on January 20, 2024.
First of all, we would just like to congratulate the Fijian law enforcement agencies for that drug bust – Uriah Turner