The High Court has ordered the police to keep under its control $30,000 in Fiji currency and $9000 in New Zealand currency that was seized from a suspected drug dealer in 2019.
New Zealand citizen Samuel Vaisevuraki arrived in Fiji on February 8, 2019, from Auckland and declared $10,000.00 through the border control reporting form at Nadi International Airport.
Three days later police arrested him with two foreign nationals at a cafe in Suva following information that the meeting concerned the possible sale of an illicit drug.
The Director of Public Prosecutions informed the court that according to information received from New Zealand Police, Mr Vaisevuraki was subject to illicit drug investigations in that country and suspected to be part of a drug syndicate operation.
“The respondent (Mr Vaisevuraki) has not reasonably explained how he came to possess these amounts. He was apprehended on information received by the police,” said Justice Javed Mansoor in his November 9 ruling.
“The applicant (DPP) says the respondent is suspected of criminal activity, and that he is in remand custody in New Zealand.
“The monies are in the custody of the police. Section 4 of the Proceeds of Crime Regulations 2012 provides that restrained funds should be in the management and control of the Attorney- General.
“The applicant has satisfied the court that there is a reasonable suspicion that the monies seized from the respondent are tainted property within the meaning of section 3 of the Act.
“The court is inclined to issue a restraining order over the sums held by the Fiji Police.”
