A parcel containing a suspicious white substance was found on an island in the Lau Group on Saturday, the Fiji Police Force confirmed, and has been taken into custody while forensic testing is carried out. The discovery prompted a swift response from local officers after the package was reported by residents who came across it on the shoreline.
Police said the package was located by a woman and her daughter as they returned from a fishing trip. Concerned by the appearance of the parcel and its contents, they notified authorities, who recovered it and secured it for examination. The force did not identify the island or disclose what laboratory will conduct the analysis, saying only that the parcel is being held pending testing to determine the nature of the substance.
In a statement, the Fiji Police Force commended the members of the community who quickly shared information about the discovery and thanked local leaders for their support in facilitating the police response. The force reiterated that timely reporting by ordinary island residents was key to ensuring the parcel was removed safely and investigated.
Police warned the public not to touch or handle suspicious packages and reiterated standard safety advice while investigations proceed. Anyone who finds a parcel of concern, or who observes unusual maritime activity — including unidentified vessels or objects washing ashore — should immediately contact their nearest police station or call the national non-emergency number, 1681.
The seizure highlights ongoing vigilance by authorities in Fiji’s outlying island groups, where items arriving by sea can be difficult to monitor. Police said they will release further information once laboratory results are available and investigations progress. For now, residents in the Lau Group and other coastal communities have been urged to remain alert and report any similar findings rather than attempt to move or open unknown packages themselves.