Most High Court vault CCTV not working as cocaine goes missing

Most of the CCTV cameras and the biometric security system at the High Court vault were not operating as Police investigate missing and tampered cocaine exhibits, Police have confirmed.

Acting Director Criminal Investigation Department A/SSP Peni Tuivaga confirmed the security systems were not fully operational.

“There was CCTV installed at the vault at the High Court, but most of it were not in operation. So was the biometrics.”

The revelation comes as Police investigate cocaine exhibits that had been deposited at the High Court vault on March 25, 2021.

Police said records established that the drugs initially tested positive for cocaine during confirmatory tests in February 2019.

Another purity test conducted on July 26, 2019, at the request of the court, also returned positive for cocaine.

Police said seven bars were later found missing and the remaining parcels were tested, returning negative for any traces of illicit drugs.

Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu said investigators were now trying to establish when the CCTV stopped operating and what happened to the biometric system.

“It is in the line of our investigation. Because that is given, that is given. The Judiciary are the ones that are, once we hand over, they are the ones that normally do the checking or anything. It’s not us.

“So that is why we would like to, part of our investigation is to ascertain the sequence of visits that was done there. And when was this CCTV not in operation? How does the biometric machine was unplugged? So all these things will come in.”

Asked whether the CCTV cameras and biometric system had been deliberately tampered with to prevent people from being tracked, Mr Tudravu said the investigation would determine that.

“As of now, these are our findings and it will be confirmed by our investigations through our line of investigation.”

Police have identified six persons of interest and recorded statements from 37 people as investigators establish who had direct access to the exhibits.

The Digital Forensic Unit is also working to extract available CCTV footage and biometric records.

Mr Tudravu said Police did not guard the exhibits once they were deposited at the Suva High Court.

“Well, I can confirm that once it was deposited at Suva High Court, the exhibit room, we are not there to guard them. They have their own special security arrangements, with CCTV, the biometrics that was there, how they entered that exhibit room.

“And also, they have an SOP that, when somebody wants to go into the exhibit room, there is something that is written to the Chief Registrar. That is what I was briefed on.”

Asked whether there was any Police security once exhibits entered the court exhibit room, Mr Tudravu said: “Yes, I can confirm that.”

Asked whether Police relied entirely on the Judicial Department, he said: “Yes.”

Police have since deployed Totogo Police Station personnel to provide security at Government Buildings.