Lau drugs discovery exposes border gaps

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) Naval Division Commander, Timoci Natuva, says timely information sharing is essential in the fight against drug trafficking.

He made the comment following recent drug discoveries in the Lau Group that have raised concerns about the security of Fiji's maritime borders.

Commodore Natuva said that while there is regular engagement between the military and police, a protective security framework is needed to guide intelligence sharing and ensure information is exchanged safely and securely.

"I understand that information from regional partners may take time to reach Police. But in past cases, Police have passed credible information to us, especially in the maritime domain," he said.

Earlier this month, several packages suspected to contain illicit drugs washed ashore on Ogea and Komo islands in the Lau Group.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said authorities were working with regional law enforcement partners to identify the source and intended destination of the packages.

"We are working with our regional law enforcement partners to identify the source and destination," Ms Naisoro said.

Commodore Natuva said joint teams from the Navy and Police are expected to travel to Lau, where investigations will focus on ocean drift patterns and environmental conditions to determine whether the packages originated from a single drop or multiple drops.

The assessment will also seek to establish where the drugs may have drifted from before reaching Fiji waters.