FIVE men appeared at the Magistrate’s Court in Nadi yesterday charged in connection with two separate drug and arms busts, with the proceedings split between two different magistrates.
The charges follow police raids in Solovi and Legalega,Nadi last week.
The Solovi operation led to three men being brought to court after officers seized methamphetamine, marijuana, and live ammunition.
Kunal Kumar and Shameer Hussein appeared before Magistrate Pulekeria Low jointly charged with one count of unlawful possession of illicit drugs, namely methamphetamine and marijuana.
Magistrate Low refused bail for the duo, remanding them in custody and transferring the matter to the High Court in Lautoka for mention on October 19. The third accused in the Solovi raid, Leon Bridgehouse, appeared before Magistrate Jeremaia Savou.
Mr Bridgehouse was charged with one count of delivering arms or ammunition to a person who is not the holder of a permit or an exempted person.
Police allege that Mr Bridgehouse delivered 113 rounds of live ammunition to Mr Kumar on or around August 31.
In the second case, two men appeared before Magistrate Low following a separate joint raid in Legalega last week.
Mosese Jeke and Mohammed Aswaq Junior were each charged with one count of unlawful possession of illicit drugs after officers seized substances confirmed to be cocaine.
Magistrate Low denied bail to both men, remanding them in custody before transferring their case to the High Court in Lautoka to be recalled alongside the others on October 19.
