LAUTOKA businessman and drug accused Shaneil Suresh Autar fell inside the Nadi Magistrate’s Court room after Magistrate Jeremiah Savou denied his bail application yesterday.
The 40-year-old was arrested and re-charged for allegedly facilitating the exportation of 39.36 kilograms of cocaine to Australia in 2019.
Prosecutor Joeli Nasa did not object to bail, however he requested strict conditions for the accused, including a $2000 cash bail, a stop departure order, reporting fortnightly to the Nadi Police Station, surrender of travel documents and prohibition of travel outside Viti Levu.
But Magistrate Savou rejected Mr Autar’s bail application because of the complexity of the matter.
Mr Savou said the matter would be transferred to the High Court in Lautoka.
According to police, the accused was initially charged in 2019 alongside a second suspect, a foreign national, however, the matter was discontinued in court, following a nolle prosequi filed by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
He was alleged to have organised for the transfer of illicit substances in October of 2019 from the second suspect to Denarau, where it was subsequently handed over to another foreign national who was arrested with the illicit substances upon his arrival in Australia.
A multi-agency operation led to the arrests and subsequent charging of the two accused persons in Fiji in 2019.
The matter was again pursued by the Criminal Investigations Department and Serious Organised Crime and Intelligence Department.
With with the assistance of the ODPP’s organised crime unit, Mr Autar was arrested and re-charged last Saturday with one count of Unlawful Possession and Supply of an Illicit Drug and one count of unlawful exportation of illicit drug.
Police are also increasing their efforts with assistance from INTERPOL to arrest the second suspect.
The accused was given 28 days to appeal.
The matter will be called again on January 5, 2026.
