Police Question Labasa Airport Staff Over Alleged Heist

Staff members of the Labasa Airport were taken in for questioning by officers from the Criminal Investigations De­partment (CID).

This was in relation to the alleged theft of money from Westpac Bank, a source close to the matter said.

It is understood the staff mem­bers had been released.

The CID team had also searched the secu­rity company tasked to transport the money, the source said.

What was supposed to be $850,000 cash delivered to the bank’s main branch in Suva last Wednesday was replaced by six rims of A4 pa­pers. Each bag contained two rims of A4 papers.

It is believed that four people were involved in the transport­ing of the three money bags from Westpac Savusavu branch to Labasa Airport.

Police spokesperson Wame Bau­tolu said investigations continued as Police had yet to lay any charges.

The Fiji Sun reached out to some of the employees of Labasa Air­port, but they had declined to com­ment on the matter.

Neither Police nor Westpac has confirmed the amount stolen.

However, it is understood that it weighed about 18 kilograms at the Labasa Airport.

After the bags were securely checked in before the presence of the security officers, it was loaded into the Fiji Link’s baggage and luggage section in the plane by airport staff.

There are no CCTV cameras at the Waiqele Airport.

The duration of the flight was 45 minutes.

Upon arrival in Nausori, the se­curity officer escorting the three bags discovered that the security company seal was changed.

The bags were also examined by a representative from the West­pac main branch in Suva with the presence of personnel from the Crime Scene Investigation Unit.

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