The revelation that the Fiji Police Force will launch a Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime unit to fight drug trafficking and organised crime is great news.
This is acknowledgement that we have a problem that requires a stronger and more coordinated response.
It makes sense given the scenarios that exist in our country. Drug-related arrests are on the rise. Cases involving methamphetamine are on the rise. Packages containing white substances suspected to be illicit drugs, including ice or cocaine, continue to be discovered, with the latest reported on Yadua Island in Bua, Vanua Levu.
These events and discoveries all speak out about the influence of organised crime networks and raise concerns about Fiji being used as a transition point for drugs moving across borders.
So, a new unit does make sense.
Police Corporal Waisea Bolabiu announced the move at the Yasana o Ba Provincial Council meeting in Nadi yesterday, saying the unit would improve intelligence-sharing and cooperation with international law enforcement partners, including Australia, the United States and New Zealand.
He emphasised the transnational focus.
The new unit, he said, would enable overseas law enforcement representatives to work alongside Fiji Police officers, improving access to intelligence and reducing reliance on embassies to facilitate information-sharing.
The international collaboration, he said, would strengthen Fiji’s capacity to respond to drug trafficking networks operating across national borders.
Mr Bolabiu also revealed plans to expand the Fiji Detector Dog Unit in the Western Division as authorities intensify efforts to intercept drugs.
The joint initiative between the Fiji Police Force and the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service was established with support from New Zealand.
The unit currently operates at Nadi International Airport and is sometimes deployed to Denarau.
Plans are underway to establish an additional operation in Rakiraki or near Lautoka to strengthen drug detection in the Western Division. Savusavu remains the only port of entry without the detector dog program.
What we are reading is great. The challenge though is going to be on how it does work out. That will mean a united front. It will mean considering the complexities of the drug war, effective laws, public confidence in our security agencies and the political will to ensure what we have planned for, will pan out. In the end, it should be good for the nation.
We need action. In fact, someone should have pulled out all stops a long time ago.
Far too many people are being drawn into the drug trade. The discoveries of packages on our outer islands are scary and paint a worrying picture of the impact of the drug infiltration, and obvious involvement of international crime syndicates. Right now, we need a united front. We need a whole of society effort, and support for any initiative that will effectively deal with drugs. We need to bring communities, authorities and international partners together. We say the fight against drugs needs sustained action, accountability and results. We have got to accept that our future depends on it.
