Fijian authorities have seized a supposed shipment of cocaine, which was worth $780 million, after receiving intelligence as well as tips from local people in the villages regarding suspicious activity in an isolated area on the coastline. Police described this as one of the largest drug busts when it comes to the nation’s history.
The operation circled around Vatia Jetty in northwest Viti Levu, a wharf that is neglected and far from the country’s main population centers. Chiefs in the villages were startled by the unusual appearances of foreign men and vehicles, which prompted them to alert the police in the early days of the week, which made a coordinated surprise attack take place by the Fiji Police Force.
Officers allegedly stopped a vehicle that was transporting cocaine and later discovered 2.6 tons of the drug in parcels at the jetty. The haul, which held over 2,630 packets, was estimated to be worth around FJ$1.2 billion (roughly A$780 million) on the street.
Six men were charged in connection with the arrest, which included four Ecuadorian nationals and two Fijian men from Veisaru, Ba. They currently face various charges, including unlawful importation and possession of illegal drugs, unlawful entry, and serious assault. They were taken into custody and were imprisoned in Rakiraki Magistrates Court, where they appeared.
Police allege the foreign nationals arrived aboard a semi-submersible “narco sub,” which is a smuggling vessel increasingly used by international drug mafias to move large quantities of narcotics across oceans. Fiji’s navy is actively searching for the craft, which has not yet been found.
State prosecutor John Rabuku told the court the case took place after months of intelligence gathering by the Fiji Police Force’s Serious Organized Crime and Intelligence Department, with help from foreign partners including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The arrest highlights growing concerns about the Pacific becoming a transit point for drug trafficking. Other recent operations, including a substantial cocaine interception by French authorities in nearby waters, show the region’s expanding role as one of the narcotics routes globally.
Authorities say cooperation between communities and law enforcement was crucial to interrupt this operation, a model they hope to expand as Fiji and regional partners seek to hold back these organized crimes.
