While Solovi residents in Nadi say they were unaware that police had carried out a major drug raid in their neighbourhood on Thursday evening, we learn that suspected methamphetamine, and ammunition were seized during the operation.
Two men were also taken into custody for questioning. Police confirmed that the two suspects have a known history linked to alleged illicit drug activities, with one having previously been involved in similar matters.
The operation was part of wider enforcement activity across the Western Division.
In Lautoka, a joint police and military taskforce raided a property and seized plastics containing white substances, as well as green leaves believed to be marijuana. A suspect was taken into custody.
Another joint raid in Legalega, Nadi, also resulted in what police described as positive finds. Four suspects remain in custody as police investigations continue.
The seized substances have been sent for analysis, while the ammunition will be handed over to the Republic of Fiji Military Forces for inspection.
For residents in the communities affected, the raids serve as a reminder of the hidden drug activity police say they are continuing to target across the West.
We know we have a major drug challenge before us. We know what is happening in our country. We have read about major drug raids. We know about what went down in Legalega and Vatia. We know about people being sentenced to lengthy jail terms in the Western Division because of drugs. We know about people still appearing before our courts because of their alleged involvement in illicit drugs. We also read about alleged beatings of people believed to be connected to illicit drugs in Suva.
All these incidents add up to make this a particularly challenging issue for our security forces.
There are also connected factors, ranging from drug addiction to a surge in HIV cases linked to the sharing of needles.
We realise there are complexities in confronting these challenges, and we also understand the urgency with which we must deal with them.
The discovery of ammunition during the raid in Solovi raises this concern and places it on an even higher plane.
Now, more than ever, we will look to the powers that be to prepare our police force for an eventuality that none of us wants to see.
But we can do one of two things. We can either shrug this aside as a one-off situation, or we can prepare our men and women in blue to effectively deal with such challenging confrontations moving forward.
To this effect, we wonder whether there is scope to raise the capabilities of the special police unit, the Police Mobile Force in Nasinu.
The PMF was initially established in November 1973 as an anti-riot unit to deal with civil disturbances while also being tasked with taking over operations during major crisis when conventional police officers were unable to cope. It was the only armed unit within the Police Force until its weapons were removed by the military during the 2006 coup.
It is frightening to learn that ammunition was seized during the recent raid along with suspected hard drugs.
It raises many questions and will concern people who see the combination of ammunition and drugs as a potentially dangerous development.
Our men and women in blue on the frontline of this war against drugs need the support of the powers that be. They need proper resources, training and preparation to confront the realities of what is out there.
This is no longer just about drugs. The discovery of ammunition should be a wake-up call. We must ensure our police are ready, capable and properly equipped to protect our communities before a dangerous situation becomes something far worse.
