53 cocaine bars found worth more than $40m in Fiji

53 bars of cocaine have been found within Fiji border as of this morning.

This was confirmed by Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho while opening the Fiji Narcotics committee workshop in Suva today.

He said 51 bars have been tested and confirmed to be cocaine, while the latest find in Savusavu and on an island in the Lau group are yet to be tested.

Brigadier General Qiliho says the recent finds have been transported to Suva by the Fiji Navy for analysis.

“I can also confirm that the 51 bars have an estimated street value of $43 million (US$20.4 million) and that similar findings were made in Tonga where 58 bars in total were found on two of their islands, and have been confirmed to be the same quality of cocaine found here in Fiji.”

He says the close proximity of the Tongan group of islands to Fiji is a major concern.

The Police Commissioner has also revealed more than 10 kg of methamphetamine was seized in Fiji from January to June.

Qiliho says these seizures may seem small compared to the seizures of cocaine and marijuana, however, but it however does not give it less prominence.

He said the statistics speak for themselves as there have been numerous seizures which equates to more people that are indulging in this illicit activity.

SOURCE: FBC NEWS/PACNEWS