47 police officers charged for drug offences from 2020-2025

Forty-seven police officers have been charged for drug-related offences between 2020 and 2025, Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu told delegates at the 27th Attorney-General’s Conference in Nadi last Saturday.

Commissioner Tudravu said each case damaged public trust and highlighted the ongoing challenge of maintaining institutional integrity.

He stressed that while misconduct by any officer was serious, it did not reflect a corrupt organisation, noting that more than 5,000 officers continued to serve honestly and uphold their oath.

Speaking on a panel discussing the role of Police in drug enforcement, the Commissioner outlined Fiji’s current drug landscape.

He said most cases involved marijuana, with 8,076 arrests for unlawful possession recorded from 2022 to October 2025. In the same period, 861 cases were linked to methamphetamine.

He said Police operations remained focused on both “white and green” drugs, but the number of marijuana cases was higher because it is cultivated locally.

Commissioner Tudravu called for a national dialogue to address the root causes driving people into drug use or the illicit trade as a source of income. He reiterated that as long as marijuana remained illegal, Police would enforce the law.

He closed with an appeal for stronger partnerships, saying the fight against drugs could not rely on a single agency and required collective effort across sectors.