The Fiji Police Force has completed investigations into alleged corrupt practices involving 11 senior officers and has referred the investigation file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for independent legal advice, the force confirmed on Thursday.
The allegations first surfaced through circulated screenshots of Viber exchanges that purportedly showed officers receiving money from individuals linked to the illicit drug trade. Police said the probe was carried out by a specially assembled team of senior investigators — some recalled from retirement — who were given full autonomy to examine the claims. The inquiry drew international and specialist assistance from the Australian Federal Police and New Zealand Police, local digital forensic experts, forensic accountants and the Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit.
“To ensure transparency, the investigation file has been submitted to the ODPP for independent legal advice,” the Fiji Police Force said in a statement, adding it would await the ODPP’s advice before making further comment. The referral marks the next procedural step: the ODPP’s assessment will determine whether criminal charges are warranted and which matters should proceed to court.
Separately, police said a different matter — allegations made by a former police officer alleging links between force members and known persons of interest in criminal networks — has been closed. Attempts to obtain statements from overseas at a facility selected by the Australian Federal Police were unsuccessful, police stated, and investigators were unable to progress that line of inquiry as a result.
Authorities confirmed that some individuals named in the Viber-related allegations are already before the courts, while others remain under active investigation. The force urged the public to be patient, noting the inquiries were complex, involved multiple agencies and required detailed forensic and financial analysis. “Members of the public are assured that any reports against police are taken seriously,” the police statement said.
The referral comes amid an intensified crackdown on illicit drugs and related corruption within the force. In September 2025 two police officers were arrested and later charged in a methamphetamine case — prosecutions that were sanctioned by the ODPP — underscoring the judiciary’s role in vetting and pursuing cases involving serving officers. Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu has in the past warned that officers who breach their oath to serve and protect would face dismissal and prosecution.
By involving international policing partners and financial investigators, the force signalled the allegations were being treated as potentially transnational and involving financial flows as well as communications evidence. Legal advice from the ODPP is expected to clarify what allegations meet the threshold for prosecution and what further investigative steps, if any, are required before charges can be laid.