A call for stricter penalties for adults involved in the drug trafficking of minors was made by University of Fiji lawyer Natalie Raikadroka during a public consultation regarding the draft Counter Narcotics Drug Bill in Lautoka. Raikadroka emphasized that children under the age of 14 should not be held accountable for drug-related crimes they are forced to commit, urging that the focus should be on the adults exploiting these vulnerable children.
Raikadroka highlighted the alarming reality that children are often coerced, intimidated, and compelled to sell drugs at school and other locations. She made it clear that the individuals responsible for this exploitation are the adults who profit from the situation. “These kids are being coerced, beaten and ordered from home to take drugs to school and sell them here and there,” she stated, underscoring the need for systemic change in how the law addresses these cases.
The lawyer called for legislative provisions that recognize the unique circumstances of children under-14 involved in the drug trade, while advocating for more severe consequences for the adults orchestrating this criminal behavior. “Special consideration should be made for children, but the law should be harsher towards the adults who are using these children to traffic drugs,” she asserted.
Inspector Jemesa Lave from the Ministry of Policing corroborated the proposed legislation’s intent to impose stricter penalties on adults who exploit minors for drug trafficking. He noted that some countries have already established laws criminalizing such actions, making it an offense to involve young children in drug selling or to provide them with drugs.
The ongoing discussions around the draft bill signal a hopeful shift towards a more compassionate and just approach to addressing the involvement of minors in the drug trade, aiming to protect children while holding the real perpetrators accountable.
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