Five-hour hideout: Peng allegedly hid in airport convenience before fleeing for Japan

Dickson Peng checked in at Nadi International Airport at 5:15pm on April 14, just three hours after he was personally served with the revised Departure Prohibition Order (DPO) by the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS).

He acknowledged and signed the Order around 2pm.

Mr Peng, who owns Dickson International Trading Co Ltd, was believed to have hidden in the departure lounge convenience room until he departed at 11:55pm the same evening, bound for Tokyo, Japan.

New information obtained by this masthead indicated the incident is linked to money discovered inside the vehicle of a senior member of the independent judicial arm, which has been under Police investigation.

This masthead understands that, prior to his departure, Mr Peng briefly met the senior legal practitioner, upon which the senior legal practitioner later discovered the envelope containing the money inside the vehicle on the same day. Police were immediately alerted of the matter.

It is alleged that Mr Peng defrauded the Government of $23 million in taxes dating back to 2019.

Government stance

Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel admitted that FRCS was aware of Mr Peng's dubious dealings for quite some time and that he was on the FRCS radar.

Mr Immanuel hinted the next step is to seize Mr Peng's businesses if he does not return.

"That's in progress down the line," he told this masthead, expressing concern over the alleged fraud that he was only briefed on by FRCS when it was exposed in the media.

On foreign nationals who invest and engage in unscrupulous activities, Mr Immanuel said: "When they come in, they conduct clean business. But the problem is when they make so much money, they tend to look at other areas to make fast money."

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said he had sought an explanation from the Minister for Immigration, Viliame Naupoto, regarding the double issuance of the stop departure order.

"Whoever is proven or seen to be culpable may have to be investigated further," he said.

It was put to the Prime Minister that the integrity of the leadership of the ministry had come under scrutiny following the incident, and whether the ministry was headed by the right minister.

He said: "I'll just have to talk to [Mr Naupoto] and find out whether everything is above board. Because there have been a lot of complaints raised. I do not know whether any of those complaints have resulted in formal investigations and whether anybody has been brought to task."

Mr Naupoto denied allegations of any personal involvement in the matter, responding with "no" to emailed questions sent by this masthead.

When the Fiji Sun first broke the story on April 24, an internal investigation was carried out at FRCS, where individuals with first-hand information were asked if they had leaked the information.

Attempts to get a comment from Mr Peng's lawyer, Semi Leweniqila, were unsuccessful.

FRCS response

In a statement issued yesterday, FRCS said it issued the first stop departure order to the Department of Immigration under an incorrect company name on March 26, 2026.

But FRCS revoked the documents on April 13, 2026, after compliance activities and a legal review indicated that the company name was incorrect, resulting in the revision and immediate issuance of the new stop departure order documents.

"This administrative transition ensured that the DPO remained legally valid, active, and enforceable under the correct legal entity," the statement said.

The revised stop departure order was transmitted to the Immigration Department on April 14 at 9:57am.

At 11am on the same day, the Immigration Department confirmed in writing that the revised stop departure order had "been actioned".

"Further confirmation was received at 11:35am that the revised Departure Prohibition Order relating to Company B had been successfully activated within the Immigration system.

"At approximately 2:00pm on the same day (April 14), the taxpayer was personally served with the revised Departure Prohibition Order and acknowledged receipt by signing the notice."

FICAC and the Police Anti-Money Laundering Unit are conducting separate investigations into the matter.

Business operations

Mr Peng established Dickson International Trading Co Ltd in 2000. The company now operates stores in several locations in Suva and Lautoka.

He co-owns the company with two other Chinese nationals.

Between 2017 and 2018, Mr Peng’s company, Freesoul Real Estate Development (Fiji) PTE Limited, carried out development works at Wacia, part of Malolo Island, to build a multi-million-dollar resort and casino project.

The development was halted on April 28, 2022, following a High Court ruling that fined Mr Peng $1 million on two counts of unauthorised development.

Freesoul was granted a 99-year tourism lease by the iTaukei Lands Trust Board (TLTB) to develop Wacia.