THE massive early-morning drug seizure at waters off Vatia, Tavua, yesterday has raised questions about unusual maritime activity leading up to the operation.
According to Vatia wharf caretaker, Rajeshwar Anand Kapoor, he had repeatedly flagged suspicious yachts and shadowy crews to police before an early-morning raid seized more than 100 sacks of suspected drugs and the arrest of six people, including four foreigners.
More than 100 sacks of what is suspected to be cocaine were confiscated, and the foreigners are believed to be from Ecuador.
Speaking from his Vatia home, Mr Kapoor said he had long reported large yachts anchoring far from the wharf.
“Sometime the yachts come, then I call the police to do patrolling there,” he said.
“I would see a couple of yachts berthing outside of the wharf. Sometimes the boat occupants will come out, wash the boat or swim in the sea.”
He noted that this activity was not new.
“Last year I also saw a few, they do the same thing and berth away from the wharf… plenty complaint there,” he said.
Mr Kapoor also recalled seeing groups of men in the area wearing thick cloth around their head.
The caretaker’s family learned the scale of the bust in the early hours when police stopped his son at their driveway around 1am.
A heavy guard remains over the suspects and the seized evidence at Ba Police Station.
Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu said the raid was conducted by officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Serious Organised Crime and Intelligence Department (SOCID), and the Western Division Taskforce.
He said it was a result of collaboration between local and foreign law enforcement.
