Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua

Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua says the recent drug incident involving a foreign national highlights the challenges Fiji faces in combating illicit drug trade.

Tikoduadua says he is aware of the incident involving the foreign national who was apprehended with a significant quantity of methamphetamine upon arriving in Brisbane, Australia from Fiji.

The woman had commenced the journey in Vancouver, Canada, with the luggage checked through from the point of origin to her destination.

Tikoduadua says the cases highlight the need for stringent border control measures.

He adds the methods used to conceal these drugs demonstrate the lengths to which traffickers will go, emphasizing the importance of Fiji’s vigilance and international cooperation.

According to the Australian Federal Police, 14.4kg of methamphetamine was in plastic packages wrapped inside towels that had been soaked in vinegar and layered with coffee beans.

Testing of the packages returned a presumptive positive result for methamphetamine.

The AFP charged the woman with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).

Tikoduadua has commended the Australian Border Force for their vigilance and thorough inspection processes that led to this discovery.

He says their efforts are crucial in preventing illegal substances from crossing borders and protecting our communities from the dangers of drug trafficking.

He adds the Fijian Department of Immigration remains committed to enhancing border security and will continue to work closely with their international partners, particularly their counterparts in Australia, to address these ongoing challenges.

The seized amount of methamphetamine could have been sold as almost 145,000 street deals with an estimated value of $13.4 million.