There are reports of marijuana being traded by some young people in Lau, particularly on the island of Moala, in exchange for methamphetamine sourced from Suva. Village headmen in the province have expressed their worries over this concerning trend.
According to information collected during visits to Moala and Vanuabalavu by Shine a Light, meth use is becoming prevalent among the youth on these islands. The Fiji Police Narcotics Bureau has been notified but has yet to gather substantial evidence.
It is believed that meth is smuggled to the islands by other Lau villagers who board boats traveling from Suva. The situation is exacerbated by insufficient security checks at the wharf due to limited resources for policing on the islands.
Young individuals in the Lau Group are increasingly exposed to meth use and sales through various means, including yachts, inter-island shipping, domestic flights, and even online tutorials on how to produce the drug. Village leaders from the 72 villages in the province are alarmed that meth use could undermine the peace and traditional lifestyles of island residents.
Roko Tui Lau Jaji Kalounivalu stated that the Lau Provincial Council is troubled by the potential impact of drug use on the community’s future. He noted that while marijuana has long been cultivated on the islands, reports from Vanuabalavu and Ono-i-Lau now mention the presence of meth, commonly referred to as “ice.”
The Lau Group consists of over 50 islands, 19 of which are inhabited, with a population of roughly 80,000. Among the youth, most are males aged between 10 and 30 years.
In recent discussions, the emergence of meth in the Lau Group has been highlighted as a growing concern. Marijuana is already recognized by law enforcement and village elders as being illegally cultivated and used.
The discovery of packaged cocaine along Lau shores in 2018 marked a significant entry point for hard drugs, raising fears that cocaine and meth could increasingly permeate the islands.
Station officer at the Moala Community Post, Biutoka Vuli, acknowledged the existence of a connection between a group in Moala and a drug dealer tied to the island. Although evidence of meth presence remains unconfirmed, signs of drug use among male youths are evident, reflected in trends such as school dropouts, increased alcohol consumption, and rising violence.
Medical professional Dr. Fifita Niulevu noted a rise in physical assault cases linked to alcohol abuse among the youth, citing a notable incident from July. She expressed concerns over the impending influx of illicit drugs to the islands.
Village leaders have voiced their belief that drugs are being transported from Viti Levu. In Vanuabalavu, while there are no suspected meth cases, villagers are vigilant about drug-related activities and have reported observing suspicious nets in the ocean, suspected to be connected to drug trafficking.
Youths have displayed curiosity and naivety regarding illicit substances, with one young man recalling finding a cocaine package on Moala beach, unaware of its contents at the time. The police have faced criticism for their lack of active monitoring at wharves and airports, highlighting ongoing issues in drug trafficking oversight.
As these challenges continue, community leaders stress the need for a concerted effort to curb drug influx and raise awareness among youths to combat the growing drug threat in the Lau islands.