The ongoing battle against drug trafficking is increasingly challenging for the Forensic Chemistry Unit (FCU) of the Fiji Police Force. With an alarming rise in drug confiscations, the unit faces significant strain due to limited personnel to effectively conduct necessary tests and analyses.
During her presentation at the 2024 Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) Annual Conference, Miliana Werebauinona, the principal scientific officer of the unit and Fiji’s first certified drug analyst from the Institute for Environmental Scientific Research in New Zealand, highlighted the unit’s challenges. Currently, the FCU is tasked with analyzing nearly 3,000 drug cases each year, yet it operates with just nine certified analysts.
Werebauinona emphasized the urgent need for more manpower and technical support to keep up with the growing number of cases. Last year, the unit analyzed 2,666 drug cases, and by the morning of the conference, it had already received 2,399 cases, a figure expected to rise by year-end.
She praised the government’s ongoing support in acquiring laboratory equipment, which has enhanced the unit’s capabilities but reiterated that changes in crime trends necessitate further adaptation in laboratory services.
Furthermore, Werebauinona indicated that having the labs under the Fiji Police Force creates bureaucratic hurdles that can hinder capacity building and development of the unit. With the rising number of cases, analysts often face challenges in attending court hearings simultaneously, impacting their operational efficiency.
For better service distribution, she suggested an ideal structure where each division has at least three dedicated drug analysts and more labs to facilitate analysis. Currently, there are operational labs in Labasa and Lautoka, and they also provide drug analysis services to neighboring Pacific Islands like Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Nauru.
Despite the administrative hurdles, the unit remains committed to its pivotal role in combating illicit drugs in Fiji, demonstrating resilience and dedication in the face of a growing workload.
In summary, the Fiji Police Force’s Forensic Chemistry Unit is at a crucial crossroads. The increasing drug-related cases expose the need for more analysts and possibly a restructuring of the unit’s operational framework to effectively address the rising challenges. With continued government support and potential administrative reforms, there is hope for strengthening the FCU’s capacity to safeguard the community from drug-related crimes.
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