Adults using children to traffic drugs must face harsher penalties, University of Fiji lawyer Natalie Raikadroka said yesterday.
Speaking at a public consultation on the draft Counter Narcotics Drug Bill in Lautoka, Ms Raikadroka stressed that children under-14 should not be blamed for crimes they are coerced into committing.
She said adults who profit from their exploitation should be targeted.
“These kids are being coerced, beaten and ordered from home to take drugs to school and sell them here and there,” she said, highlighting that the real culprits are the adults exploiting vulnerable children.
She called for the law to make special provisions for children under-14 involved in the drug trade while imposing stricter punishment on the adults behind it.
“Special consideration should be made for children, but the law should be harsher towards the adults who are using these children to traffic drugs.”
Inspector Jemesa Lave from the Ministry of Policing said the proposed legislation is considering harsher penalties for adults exploiting minors.
“Some countries criminalise adults who use children to traffic drugs,” he said.
“It is an offence to use young children for selling or buying drugs, or to give drugs to children.”
