Last month, five high school students were among the 163 individuals charged with drug-related offenses. Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew announced the crime statistics for July, revealing a 42 percent increase in drug-related offenses. A total of 188 drug cases were reported, up from 132 during the same period last year.
Of the 188 cases, 181 involved unlawful possession of illicit drugs, while seven cases pertained to the unlawful cultivation of these substances. There were 46 cases related to methamphetamine, one case involving cocaine, and the remaining 141 cases associated with marijuana.
Lautoka experienced a dramatic rise in cases, moving from four drug-related incidents in 2023 to 32 in 2024. In terms of unlawful possession, there were 18 cases related to methamphetamine and 14 related to marijuana.