The transporting of drugs through maritime islands is a battle that will require the help of islanders, and relevant authorities from other countries including the Fiji Police, Fiji Navy and the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime.
Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua said the number of drugs seized and found so far was staggering when taking into account Fiji’s small population.
“That many drugs can almost cover every individual in Fiji, we could easily be a zombie population with the number of drugs found. These people are selfish and evil and they don’t care about anyone else except themselves.”
“They must be found. They have to be found and there is no two ways about it.”
“The case of drugs believed to be methamphetamine that washed up on the village in Yasawa was a huge load, the same case also washed up in Melbourne and there are same cases in Tonga and Samoa.”
Tikoduadua said people need to be aware now and work with the authorities.
“If you care about your children and your family, your community than you have to report it if you are aware of someone who is dealing drugs in your neighbourhood. This is not easy money, the deals that go down, the drugs is going to kill and affect generations if we don’t do something now.”
Speaking at the launch today Head of UN Office of Drugs and Crime section for Maritime Crime Programme Siri Bjune said drugs transporters were using the sea more as a means of spreading their products to every part of the world.
Japanese Ambassador to Fiji, Rokuikiro Michi said the training is happening at the right time because of the way drugs are being found and seized around Fiji and the Pacific.
The training is being attended by immigration officials from Fiji and around the Pacific is being funded by the Japanese government and is facilitated by the UN Office of Drugs and Crime.
