Police Track Down Yaqona Thieves

Police in the Northern Division have deployed a special operational taskforce consisting of 25 officers to curb yaqona theft in Taveuni.

Acting Divisional Police Commander (DPC) North, Superintendent of Police (SP), Eroni Soqosoqo, said that the escalating reports on yaqona thefts were serious.

“Yaqona thieves are ripping off hardworking farmers off their income; many of whom are installing closed circuit televisions (CCTV) to catch the thieves,” SP Soqosoqo said.

“The team will focus mainly on visibility and surveillance which we are lagging, currently our Taveuni officers are attending to fresh reports,” he said.

“We need to build that trust which we may have lost due to poor service delivery at times and we do understand people’s concern,” he said.

This 30-day operation will end on February 23.

Meanwhile, the Taveuni police have acquired a new vehicle to attend to cases and boost manpower to address crimes.

Last Thursday, police recovered four bags of stolen green yaqona plants.

“We have been doing arrests.

“We want to form a partnership with registered grog buyers, this is to assist us check the where yaqona plants were brought from,” he said.

Police have warned middlemen and grog buyers that anyone found buying stolen yaqona plants will be taken to task.

“Whoever is buying yaqona needs to be buying from a genuine seller.”

Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, said yaqona thieves deprived hardworking farmers of their income.

Minister for Policing, Ioane Naivalurua, spent a few days in Taveuni last week.

The trip, SP Soqosoqo, said allowed Mr Naivalurua learn of the challenges police face in their efforts to minimise and prevent criminal activities.

“Well he (Mr Naivalurua) had brought up his concern in Parliament and I am counting on him to do as much as he can to tackle this issue,” he added.

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