Drug offences recorded increase of 13% in June 2019 compared to same period last year

Drug offences recorded an increase of 13 percent in June 2019 when compared to the same period last year.

While revealing this in parliament, Minister for Defence Inia Seruiratu says they have noted that hard drugs have found a transit point from our neighbours particularly from Australia and NZ, and marijuana have found very strong cultivation presence in Kadavu, Vanua Levu and Navosa and they continue to harvest and supply in the Fijian market.

He says the 13 percent increase in this Police statistic may not have the actual increase however more is being done by the law enforcement agencies.

Seruiratu says last week, the collaboration between Police and the Fiji Navy was again realised when the RFNS Kikau was deployed to retrieve transponders and suspicious containers found in one of our far lying group of islands with the retrieval process completed in less than 10 hours.

He says controlling our borders will always be a challenge.  

Seruiratu also says he acknowledge and concurs with the Prime Minister that the illicit drug situation in Fiji needs a collaborative and more cohesive effort from all segments in our society.

He says in curbing the problem, Police would need rigorous collaborated operational strategy as well as surveillance and newer methods such as biological control measures.

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