Matei Airport in Taveuni has a lack of proper screening facilities that would allow officials to monitor the movement of drugs.
This was the contribution made by Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence chairman Viliame Naupoto while responding to Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua’s update on drugs in Fiji.
Mr Naupoto stated the committee had visited Vanua Levu and Taveuni and were informed of the drug problem there.
He told Parliament that drugs could move easily from Matei Airport as there are very weak screening mechanisms.
“So if somebody is wanting to traffic, you can fly from Suva, pick up a bag in Taveuni; there will be a lot of yachts that come over there, pick it up, check in the airport at Taveuni, and come to Nausori,” he said. ”
Here it won’t be checked again because it goes straight to the carousel. There are two tracker dogs, so consider having a sniffer dog.”
In response, Mr Tikoduadua took the suggestions on board and said that K-9 capability in Fiji is very good, as it is an effective way not only to track down offenders, but also sniff out drugs.
“Given the suggestion, I am going to raise this with the Commissioner of Police on how they are going to deploy these assets,” he said.
“We have very limited dogs, we have got some new dogs, both sniffers and trackers.” He added that he would discuss the possibility of diverting resources to the North.
