iTaukei Youth Most Affected
For the first quarter of this year, iTaukei still tops the list with 465 drug offences.
Friday 17 May 2024 | 22:03
The table above shows the drugs offenders by age group for the years 2019 to 2023 and including January-April 2024. The most prevalent age group were the 18 to 35 year olds followed by 36 to 55 year olds, 56 years and over and Juveniles (persons below the age of 18 years).
Statistics from the Fiji Police Force indicate an increasing trend, with the highest of 1214 cases recorded in 2023.
For the first quarter of this year, iTaukei still tops the list with 465 drug offences.
These offences are committed by those within the age groups of 18 to 35 followed by 36 to 55-year-olds.
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While marijuana still tops the list of registered illicit drug offences, there's a steady growth of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin offences between 2019 and 2023.
For January to April this year, 136 cases were recorded involving methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, the highest when compared to the past five years.
Police statistics show that in 2019, a total of 1275 illicit drugs cases were registered, there is a further increase in 2020 with the number of registered
cases reaching 1501.
However, in 2021, the number of illicit drugs cases registered dropped to 1032, indicating a possible decline in illegal drug activities.
Police say it's worth noting that the COVID- 19 pandemic may have played a role in this decline, as the pandemic and related lockdowns may have disrupted drug trafficking and other related activities.
In 2022, the number of illicit drugs cases registered increased to 1236.
In 2023, Police recorded 1615 cases, signifying a prevalence of drug-related incidents.
And from January to April this year, there were 641 drug-related cases recorded.
Many of these cases are prevalent in the Western and Southern Divisions.
The table above shows the drugs offenders by ethnic group for the years 2019 to 2023 and including January-April 2024.
GOVERNMENT APPROACH
The Government, with the leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has seven key strategic areas to address the drug problem, one of which is the establishment of a narcotics court.
Attorney-General Siromi Turaga said there must be an innovative way of establishing a narcotics court that would also ensure case management.
Mr Brown said the Government must consider the services that a narcotics court offered must help the individual.
About 70 per cent to 80 per cent of inmates are iTaukei.
Referring to the statement by the Acting Commissioner of Police, Juki Fong Chew, that arrests related to illicit drugs were made daily, Mr Brown raised the questions:
What is the implication of daily arrests on the rest of the criminal cases?
Can the system (prison facility) take the influx of people coming in?
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs does not have the budget to address this growing concern in the long term.
The ministry is consulting with the Ministry of Health for St Giles to submit a framework where the hospital can effectively work with other institutions to ease the burden.
Mr Turaga said the Government denounces the drug trade.
He stressed that it was important for the people to acknowledge the drug problem, look at what we can the country do about it, and move forward.
He emphasised his ministry's commitment to tackle the drug problem.
Mr Siromi said it was the duty of each ministry to also join the war against drugs and use any platform to advocate against illicit drugs.
Feedback: ivamere.nataro@fijisun.com.fj
