26 Jul 2019

Fiji gets Indonesian aid to deal with liquid meth

7:41 am on 26 July 2019

Methamphetamine is being moved in its liquid form in Fiji, warns the country's police chief.

Sitiveni Qiliho said the two main hard drugs that Fiji police seize are meth and cocaine.

Fiji's Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho

Fiji's Police Commissioner Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho Photo: Fijian Government

He said police were aware that meth is also now being moved in its liquid form rather than in its crystallised form.

This week the police chief welcomed the assistance of the Indonesian government and said the training would help the local police combat the illicit drug trade in Fiji.

"The Indonesian police commitment to assist us could not have come at a better time noting the complexity of global policing challenges confronting us today," Commissioner Qiliho said.

"For crime respects no border irrespective of the differences we may have. We have a seamless border so is the common global challenges we have to tackle to address these challenges."

Commissioner Qiliho said the demand and the overproduction of drugs in South America had led to the increased movement of narcotics through the Pacific.

Fiji joins Police Chief association

Meanwhile Fiji is also the newest member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) - the world's largest and most influential professional association for the force's leaders.

IACP president Paul Cell, of the United States, met with Fiji police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in Suva last week to discuss national security.

The association aims to help Fijian law enforcement to address the issue of illicit drugs in and around the country.

Mr Cell was also informed of Fiji's plan to establish a Narcotics Bureau in Suva.