METHAMPHETAMINE seizures have increased by more than 50 folds compared with what it was six years ago, police say.
In 2013, police only recorded two cases of methamphetamine, compared with 14 cases in 2014 and 17 cases each in 2015 and 2016.
In 2017, police recorded 34 cases of methamphetamine seizures, but this increased three times more last year with police recording 113 cases of meth seizures.
Police Criminal Investigations Department’s (CID) Drug Unit officer in charge Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anare Masitabua said cases of methamphetamine seizures in Fiji kept increasing.
He said this year, police had also arrested people manufacturing “methamphetamine pipes”.
ASP Masitabua said after returning from a recent meeting of head of drug enforcements in Bangkok, Thailand, it was reiterated that Fiji was now the main highway for drugs from South America and Asian countries.
He said these drugs were destined for Australia.
“Why it comes through Fiji is because Fiji is not a source country. Now Fiji is being used as a staging country for cutting,” he said while speaking at the Leadership Fiji’s National Dialogue on Substance Abuse in Suva on Wednesday.
“The manufacture of methamphetamine is being done here. We have had some injuries.”
