It is good to know that every officer seconded to Fiji’s now-disbanded Counter Narcotics Bureau went through a rigorous screening process before taking up the role.
We note the revelation made by Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Pio Tikoduadua.
When the Counter Narcotics Bureau was established in June, 2024, he said, all officers seconded to the unit underwent a thorough vetting process.
And that involved a job evaluation exercise to determine suitability, a second round of background checks, and consultations with the Fiji Police Force, the Australian Border Force, and other partners to ensure robust oversight.
The bureau was set up under the Ministry of Defence as part of government’s five-year National Countering Illicit Narcotics Strategy (2023–2028).
The minister said the bureau was designed as a stand-alone entity focused solely on narcotics, complementing the Fiji Police Force while drawing on defence expertise, specialist skills, and international partnerships to tackle trafficking and drug abuse.
It was shut down last week after two of its officers were found in possession of liquid methamphetamine.
As always, the law requires that we treat every person as innocent until proven otherwise. And only a court can decide if they are guilty of any offence. That has yet to be decided and we make no presumptions about anyone.
The Leader of Opposition, Inia Seruiratu, has raised concerns about integrity and oversight within law enforcement.
This episode underlines one truth that must never be ignored: integrity is the cornerstone of law enforcement. It is the invisible armour that protects an officer, the institution they represent, and the trust of the people they serve. No amount of training or resources can compensate for its absence.
Without integrity, even the most specialised units collapse under the weight of corruption and betrayal.
History gives us powerful reminders of the value of integrity in policing. In 1930s America, prohibition agent Eliot Ness was tasked with dismantling the criminal empire of Al Capone.
At the time, Chicago was drowning in corruption. Capone’s wealth and influence allowed him to infiltrate police forces, bribe politicians, and compromise judges. Almost everyone had a price.
Ness understood that fighting Capone required something more than firepower. It required men of unshakable principle. He carefully selected a team of nine agents, all in their 20s, chosen for their integrity and commitment to the job. These men refused to take bribes. They resisted threats. They held themselves to a standard that made them untouchable, not because they were immune to attack, but because they could not be bought. The world came to know them as ‘The Untouchables’. Their honesty and discipline made them feared by criminals and respected by Americans. They proved that the fight against organised crime was not only about guns and raids, but about the moral courage to stand firm when everything around them was compromised.
That lesson applies directly to us. Integrity cannot be optional. It cannot be left to chance. Every officer entrusted with narcotics enforcement, or any sensitive role, must be screened, scrutinised, and tested. And even then, the culture of integrity must be constantly reinforced, because temptation does not disappear once the vetting is complete.
For those who aspire to be part of this special unit, the expectations are huge. This is a calling that demands loyalty to country, discipline under pressure, and the moral strength to resist corruption.
Officers carry on their shoulders the weight of national trust, and with it, the safety of our children and the generations yet to come. We must, therefore, be uncompromising in the selection process, choosing only those who demonstrate character beyond reproach. And for those selected, the responsibility is clear. Honour your oath, serve with integrity, and never forget that you carry the hopes of an entire nation.
Eliot Ness and his Untouchables showed the world that integrity could dismantle an empire built on corruption. We must demand the same of those who guard us against the scourge of narcotics.
