Police have arrested eight people believed to be part of an alleged crime syndicate operating in the country.
The group has been obtaining goods throughout the country through falsifying documents and payments done by dishonoured cheques.
Police have also managed to recover goods worth more than $130,000 and the amount is expected to increase as investigation progresses.
Related stories
The alleged incident which prompted the investigation took place on February 27, 2018 when meat worth more than $31,000 was ordered from Nausori and was dropped off at Vuda where payment was made by cheque.
Upon cashing at the bank, the meat salesman discovered that the cheque was dishonoured or the account did not exist, the matter was reported to the Police.
Upon investigation, it was revealed that the same concept was used to obtain goods worth more than a $100,000 from a company in Ba last December.
In two separate incidents two dishonoured cheques were used to purchase goods in Ba in December.
In a third separate incident in February this year, a dishonoured cheque was used to purchase goods at a resort in Vuda.
Arrests were made and a warehouse in Lautoka was raided where the majority of the items were recovered.
Meat, laptops, computers and groceries were recovered from the warehouse and Police will continue to search for people who have purchased these stolen items from the said group.
Victims have been brought in and items stolen have been identified along with the suspects.
Two of the eight suspects have been interviewed and released while six are still in Police custody. Meanwhile the investigation team is working on the documentation of the items seized.
Four of the suspects in Police custody are known offenders.
Divisional Police Commander West (DPC/W) Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abdul Khan said this was a breakthrough by the Lautoka Police investigation team.
SSP Abdul said his team at Lautoka had been working around the clock after the first report was received and the arrests were made before the week ended.
Edited by Percy Kean
Feedback: karalaini.tavi@fijisun.com.fj
