Five high school students were among 163 individuals charged with drug-related offenses last month. Acting Police Commissioner 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, compared to 132 cases during the same period last year.
Out of the 188 cases, 181 involved the unlawful possession of illicit drugs and seven were related to the unlawful cultivation of these drugs. The breakdown included 46 cases connected to methamphetamine, one for cocaine, and 141 linked to marijuana.
Lautoka experienced a notable rise in cases, increasing from four in 2023 to 32 in 2024. In terms of unlawful possession, 18 cases were tied to methamphetamine, while the remaining 14 involved marijuana.