Police push for legal powers to go undercover
Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu says the 1965 Police Act lacks legal powers for surveillance and undercover operations, hindering efforts to combat drug trafficking and organised crime.
Tuesday 28 October 2025 | 21:00
Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu speaks to reporters during an interview at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on October 28, 2025.
Photo: Kaneta Naimatau
The Fiji Police Force currently lacks the legal authority to conduct covert operations using the technical equipment needed to combat modern crime.
Speaking at the Police Act Review validation workshop yesterday, Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu said the 1965 Act does not grant powers for surveillance and undercover work, which are essential for tackling organised crime and drug trafficking.
Mr Tudravu said that some covert operations requiring technical equipment could not be carried out because the current law does not provide the necessary legal framework.
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He said the new Act would address technological challenges facing modern policing.
"It's looking at a technological era that we are in, looking into how we can use the equipment that we have in place in order for us to meet the challenges of the vast changes in the criminal landscape," he said.
Covert operations typically involve undercover investigations, electronic surveillance, and monitoring of suspects – techniques used worldwide to gather evidence against criminal networks without alerting them.
This comes as Fiji battles record drug seizures, including 4.15 tonnes of methamphetamine worth $2 billion intercepted earlier this year.
The updated Act is expected to provide legal frameworks for using surveillance equipment, conducting undercover operations, and investigating transnational crime networks operating in Fiji.
Feedback: kaneta.naimatau@fijisun.com.fj
