Police Seize Money, Alcohol And Cigarettes In Walu Bay Raid

Officers from the Fiji Detector Dog Unit conducted a raid on three companies at Port Mua-i-Walu 1 on Wednesday night.

Fiji Police Force spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed this yesterday saying allegedly unlicensed alcohol and cigarettes were among items that were seized.

“More than $40,000 Fijian currency and up to $1000 foreign currency was recovered. Also seized were dried leaves believed to be marijuana,” Ms Naisoro said.

Darren Zhang, the manager of Sunshine Fisheries Limited, one of the companies that was raided, raised concerns about the manner the raid was conducted and the damage caused.

Sunshine Fisheries Ltd Manager, Darren Zhang, on April 30, 2020, shows the damage done to his office door during the Police raid on April 30, 2020. Photo: Ronald Kumar

When questioned, Ms Naisoro said section 22 of the Illicit Drugs Act gave Police the power to conduct raids without a search warrant.

“A Police officer may exercise any of the powers in section 21 without a warrant if the grounds for obtaining a warrant under that section exist and the officer believes on reasonable grounds that it is necessary to do so in order to prevent the concealment, loss or destruction of anything connected with an offence against this Act,” she said.

A female shop assistant in her 40s was taken into Police custody as investigations continued.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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