The State’s application to forfeit two Denarau properties linked to the storage of over four tonnes of methamphetamine has been transferred to the High Court in Lautoka.
The civil forfeiture bid concerns State Leases 16827 (Lot 14) and 16829 (Lot 8), adjacent lots in Denarau that were acquired by Denarau Fitness Ltd from Challenge Engineering Ltd and registered on December 22, 2017. Denarau Fitness Pte Ltd is 99% owned by Rasha Kurdi, the wife of Australian businessman Sam Amine; an accountant, Mherina Amahaizabeen Ali Ahmed, holds the remaining 1% of shares.
On June 12, Justice Penijamini Lomaloma found, on the balance of probabilities, that both lots were “tainted” and subject to an interim restraining order. The judge concluded that Denarau Fitness had no legitimate source of income from 2017 to 2020 and that the funds used to buy the properties had no lawful origin. Justice Lomaloma also found that Lot 14 was purchased with money from an illegal source and that a warehouse on that lot had been used to store more than 4.2 tonnes of methamphetamine for several days between December 2023 and January 2024.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is seeking a final court order to forfeit the two lots to the State. The properties have previously been identified by authorities as storage sites connected to the large methamphetamine seizure currently the subject of criminal proceedings in Lautoka; earlier reporting has placed the combined land area at roughly 2,450 square metres and an estimated value of about $8.8 million.
At a hearing in Suva on August 8, State lawyer Moira Konrote told Justice Lomaloma she had filed a response to the respondents’ strike-out application. When the judge asked why the civil matter had originally been brought in Suva even though the main criminal proceedings are in Lautoka, Ms Konrote said that filing in Suva was a standard procedural step but did not object to transferring the forfeiture action back to Lautoka. Justice Lomaloma extended the interim restraining order, and the Lautoka court registry will set the next date and notify parties by Notice of Appearance.
Commentary and context
– The forfeiture application is brought under the legal framework designed to strip criminals of assets believed to be proceeds of crime. If granted, transfer of property to the State aims to disrupt the financial underpinnings of organised drug networks.
– The transfer to Lautoka aligns the civil asset proceedings with the related criminal trial in that jurisdiction, which can streamline evidence presentation and case management.
– Parties named in the civil case include the Australian couple connected to Denarau Fitness, the company itself, and its minority shareholder. Related criminal charges involving the large seizure remain before the Lautoka High Court.
Short summary
The ODPP’s civil application to forfeit two Denarau lots used to store more than 4.2 tonnes of methamphetamine has been moved to the Lautoka High Court. Justice Lomaloma previously found the properties tainted and extended an interim restraining order after concluding the company that bought the land had no legitimate income and that one lot was bought with illegal funds. The Lautoka registry will notify parties of the next hearing date.
Hopeful note
Successful forfeiture would remove valuable assets from criminal use and serve as a tangible step toward dismantling the financial networks that enable large-scale drug trafficking, strengthening community safety.
Additional suggested elements for publication
– A short explainer box on the Proceeds of Crime Act and what “forfeiture” means for readers.
– A timeline of key dates in the case (purchase/registration date, seizure dates, June 12 ruling, August 8 filing, next Lautoka hearing when set).
– Clarification for readers on how civil forfeiture proceedings differ from criminal prosecutions and why both can run alongside each other.
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