A significant drug bust has revealed connections between a known Australian criminal and a criminal syndicate of Fijian nationals based in Australia to 4.15 tonnes of crystal methamphetamine discovered in Nadi last year. The Australian criminal in question, Sam Amine, who is currently detained in Australia for unrelated drug offenses, had fled after the discovery of the meth in the January raids on locations in Legalega and Maqalevu.
Amine’s criminal background includes his arrest by New South Wales Police in May last year for alleged involvement in a drug supply network, which implicated several individuals including a Fijian league player, although charges against him were later dropped. The Australian Federal Police froze Amine’s $10 million assets amid these investigations, where it was alleged that he utilized encrypted messaging to coordinate the supply of MDMA, cocaine, and firearms to an undercover police officer on six distinct occasions.
The NSW Supreme Court previously heard that Amine has ties to notorious criminal groups such as the Alameddines and KVT gangs, with further indications suggesting his close association with the leadership of the KVT criminal syndicate — comprising Fijian nationals operating in Australia.
The Fijian authorities have conducted extensive investigations into this drug trafficking case, leading to the arrest of 15 individuals during the raids. These individuals, although released on bail, remain under scrutiny as police continue working alongside international law enforcement partners to dismantle the networks responsible for the drug shipment. Interestingly, Fiji’s role appears to serve dual purposes — it is a transit point and has also seen local distribution of meth, with reports of other international actors, including suspected Russian and Mexican traffickers, involved in the trade utilizing superyachts.
The 4.15 tonnes of meth is believed to have originated from the West Coast of the United States, with part of it already being circulated within Fiji prior to law enforcement’s intervention. A close associate of Amine, operating a prominent kava bar in Nadi, has also been linked to the reach of this trafficking operation. The kava bar itself was subsequently destroyed by fire following police action.
Meanwhile, the recent drug busts have underscored the growing severity of drug-related incidents in Fiji, with law enforcement reporting a notable 37 percent increase in drug-related arrests over the last year. Between January and July, police recorded a total of 1,105 drug-related cases, compared to 805 during the same period in the previous year.
As authorities continue to crack down on drug trafficking networks, there is a sense of optimism regarding the possibility of significant breakthroughs in combating these organized crime syndicates in the region. The Fiji Police Force, in conjunction with international partners, remains dedicated to uncovering and unraveling these extensive criminal operations to foster a safer environment for local communities.
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