[File Photo]

A police officer based at the Lautoka Police Station will be produced in court today for a case of alleged unlawful possession of illicit drugs.

Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew says the accused was stopped by a team on patrol in Natabua on Tuesday after he was seen acting in a suspicious manner, whereby his vehicle was searched, and the discovery of two clear plastics containing white substances believed to be illicit drugs was made.

A team from the Criminal Investigations Department’s Major Crime Unit was deployed to Lautoka to conduct the investigation, where the substances were tested and confirmed to be methamphetamine and cocaine

Independent legal advice was then sought from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Lautoka, in accordance with the transparent handling of any investigation against a police officer.

The ODPP sanctioned the charges, and investigators have since charged the officer with two counts of unlawful possession of illicit drugs.

The officer will be produced at the Lautoka Magistrates Court today.

The Acting Commissioner says that as the legal proceedings take its course, the officer, after exhausting his leave, will be interdicted with half pay pending the outcome of the court case.