A Lautoka businessman, aged 40, has been re-arrested and charged in connection with the exportation of over 39 kilograms of cocaine to Australia in 2019. This development comes as the Fiji Police ramp up their efforts, with support from INTERPOL, to capture a second suspect involved in the case.
According to police statements, the businessman was originally charged in 2019 alongside a foreign national, but the case was later put on hold after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions filed a nolle prosequi. Investigations suggest that in October 2019, the businessman facilitated the transfer of the illegal drugs from the second suspect to Denarau, where the cocaine was allegedly handed over to another foreign individual. This person was subsequently arrested upon arrival in Australia.
A multi-agency operation in 2019 resulted in the arrests and charges of the two suspects in Fiji. The case was later reviewed and re-investigated by both the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Serious Organised Crime and Intelligence Department (SOCID). With assistance from the DPP’s Organised Crime Unit, the businessman was arrested again on December 20 and now faces charges of unlawful possession and supply of an illicit drug, as well as unlawful exportation of the drug.
He is expected to appear in Nadi Magistrates Court today. Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime, Mesake Waqa, emphasized the Fiji Police Force’s commitment to combating the illicit drug trade, stating that their goal is to disrupt and dismantle these operations to ensure that all involved, whether local or foreign, are held accountable.
This renewed focus on drug-related crime illustrates the authorities’ determination to uphold law and order while fostering a safer environment free from the impacts of illicit substances.
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