Fijians from low-and middle-income households are increasingly turning to illicit drugs, especially methamphetamine, referred to as ‘ice’, as a means of making quick money. This troubling trend has raised concerns among the Fiji Police Force and various advocacy groups.
A two-month investigation by Shine a Light into Fiji’s illicit drug landscape has revealed alarming evidence of young Fijians being involved in the local production, distribution, and consumption of methamphetamine. While no formal studies have assessed the monetary value of the ice market in Fiji, police sources and drug users estimate it to be worth billions.
Earlier this year, police conducted two significant drug raids in Nadi, confiscating 4.15 tonnes of meth valued at $2 billion. The last major seizure occurred in June 2004 when $1 billion worth of meth and associated chemicals were seized from a laboratory in Suva.
Despite increasing efforts in awareness and advocacy, meth has remained a widely used substance. A user in his fifties, identified as U.D., recounted how a small amount of meth that cost $250 in the 1990s and 2000s can now be obtained for as little as $5, especially among sex workers, making it more accessible than marijuana.
Meth is reportedly widespread, available at nearly every street corner across Fiji’s urban and rural areas. Many locals recognize its presence but choose to ignore it due to fear or personal connections to drug users. Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations, Livai Driu, noted growing involvement in drugs like meth and cocaine.
Since 2021, there has been a marked increase in drug cases, with more meth-related incidents reported in the first four months of 2024 than in the last five years combined. Driu expressed the challenge faced by law enforcement due to the spread of meth use beyond urban centers to outer islands, particularly the Lau group, indicating a battle being lost by the government.
Interviews with meth users reveal many come from low-income families, with their addictions rooted in early exposure to marijuana and peer pressure. Users describe severe side effects, including weight loss and insomnia. One mother, referred to as Vabauta, highlighted peer influence as a major contributor to her addiction, leading her to consider violence and subsequent isolation. Similarly, Michael, a sex worker, discussed how meth impacted his health and sleep.
Bui, a drug awareness advocate, is actively working to tackle the rising drug problem. Through her organization, Drug-Free World Fiji, she raises awareness about the effects of drug abuse, particularly among young people. In outreach sessions, Bui encounters individuals who use drugs as coping mechanisms for past traumas, and she shares stories of younger users like a 17-year-old patient who turned to meth amid personal struggles.
Bui has noted an increased recognition of the drug crisis within Fijian society, prompting discussions in schools, communities, and among families. She believes her advocacy work, combined with police actions against drug trafficking, is helping to shift the conversation surrounding meth use in Fiji.
This article marks the first installment of a five-part series examining the escalating issue of methamphetamine in Fiji, which will further explore the local production of the drug and its prevalence in remote islands.
This project is supported by Transparent Pacific, Internews.