The permeation of drugs in Fiji’s society is more visible now than ever, with emboldened sale and use of illicit items demonstrated through a recent social media posting allegedly involving a 19-year-old.
Yesterday, police confirmed the man was in custody for a Facebook post, whereby a person addressing himself as Josaia Ledua from Narere, Nasinu, provided his contact details and urged people to purchase methamphetamine from him.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime Mesake Waqa, the man was under investigation and police believed this was done either deliberately or as a platform of deception to lure people.
Mr Waqa said police would not condone the use of social media as a platform to do business on illegal trade.
Yesterday, Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua also spoke about the drug scourge in the country and added that he tasked the police to work out what must be done on the ground, and the support that Government would give going ahead.
“After Cabinet, I will reveal some action that the Government is going to take,” Mr Tikoduadua said.
“Drugs are a national issue. Police alone cannot solve it, Government alone cannot solve it, Parliament alone cannot solve it. The Fijian society must come together with a collective solution.
“We are going to initiate something soon, but I cannot discuss that right now because it has to go to Cabinet.”
He assured members of the public that Government, through his ministry, intended to decisively deal with this matter.
“It’s really become a problem and I admit that it is a problem. But it’s got to be something that we as a nation be able to do together.
“The influx of white drugs and how it is discussed openly, like on social media, people no longer fear posting what they’re doing on social media, this is the extent of society.
“But if there is one big thing that I would like to address, and that is that drugs in a big way, and part of my main efforts and this thing about community policing, to involve the community to protect itself, including getting rid of drugs, that’s all I can say right now.”
(*Additional reporting by WATA SHAW)
