Deportees linked to rising drug networks in Fiji

Organised drug networks in Fiji are being established by individuals recently deported from overseas, police have revealed, raising concerns over the growing sophistication of illicit operations.

Assistant Commissioner of Police – Crime (ACP/C) Mesake Waqa shared this during the Fiji Law Society and Pasifika Lawyers Collective Convention in Nadi last week.

He said Fijians deported from Australia, New Zealand, and the United States are using international connections to set up drug networks locally.

“Once they settled in Fiji, they began establishing networks, which then linked directly to international crime syndicates,” he said.

ACP Waqa noted that methamphetamine first appeared in small quantities in 2012, before escalating to grams, kilograms, and eventually tonnes.

Some dealers have reportedly been producing the drug in backyards, exploiting readily available precursors.

“The availability of precursors in pharmacies raises suspicions of clandestine labs operating across the country,” he said.

He added that cartels frequently change concealment methods, complicating border screening efforts.

“Some consignments were intercepted in Australia and New Zealand before reaching Fiji, and we continue to collaborate closely with our international law enforcement partners,” ACP Waqa said.

Authorities continue to monitor the networks to curb the expansion of organised drug crime in Fiji.

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