Minister for Policing, Iowane Naivalurua announced in Parliament today a professional Fiji Counter Narcotics Bureau will be set-up in the country.
He said the Counter Narcotics Bureau will be responsible for designing and implementing national drug policies, intelligence frameworks, enforcement operations and multi sectoral partnership to disrupt the production, trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs.
“The gravity of Fiji’s drug crisis was laid bare in court during the prosecution involving the seizure of 4.1 tons of methamphetamine, one of the largest effort in our region,” he said.
“Let me be clear, drug trafficking, including narcotics, methamphetamine and emerging synthetic drugs, is not just a law enforcement concern, it is a national emergency, undermining our social fabric, threading public health and fueling international crimes.”
Mr Naivalurua said the drug fight demands more than enforcement.
“It demands a moral awakening, a national security consciousness that sees these drugs not just as a contraband, but as a threat to our families, our identity and our future.”
“When I say national security consciousness, I mean a collective mindset and taking of responsibility across the society, from schools to churches, from villages to urban centers where drug abuse and illicit trafficking are not tolerated,l.”
