Opposition Member of Parliament, Viliame Naupoto says Home Affairs Minister, Pio Tikoduadua’s recent comments that drug networks operated with impunity under the previous administration is irresponsible given the hard work carried out by the Fiji Police Force over the years to fight drugs.
Naupoto in a statement said Minister should provide evidence to justify his claim.
“Hon Tikoduadua should know very well that when speaking about an issue that is a serious concern to Fiji that it is important that he speak facts and not politicize the issue.”
“Let me remind him of some facts: In 2019, the Fiji Police Force established the first ever Narcotics Bureau to ramp up the fight against drugs and specialist training was provided to Police Officers to deal with drug related cases. Capabilities have also been enhanced over the years to assist the Police to combat this drug scourge.”
“Anti-Drug Operations across Fiji have resulted in the seizure of green and hard drugs worth millions of dollars and the perpetrators convicted.”
“According to media reports, in 2019, Police uncovered a meth lab in a night club in Nadi; small scale meth labs were also discovered in 2013 and 2015 in Suva; in 2004 the Police found chemicals big enough to produce 2200 pounds of crystal meth in a factory outside Suva.”
He said the fight against drugs is and will continue to be an ongoing operation.
“Drug traffickers and criminals will always study the security landscape to assess the risk to their criminal operation.”
“The recent drug busts indicates that criminals are exploiting a weak and unmanageable security situation and that the enforcement at our borders are weak.”
“Our Fiji Police Force is already embedded with many internal challenges, and they need all the support by the government to assist them to modernize and be postured correctly to meet the evolving criminal trend.”
“The last thing they need is the constant interference by the Minister and politicians.”
“We need to ensure that the well-being, safety and the security of all Fijians remains paramount instead of the political scoring that is the hallmark of Hon Tikoduadua’s one year tenure as the Minister responsible for the security of our nation,” Naupoto added.
