Police in Fiji announced that a significant portion of seized cocaine evidence has disappeared from the High Court registry in Suva. The theft, discovered on September 15, involved seven of the 39 cocaine bars originally stored as evidence.
Evidence tampered, investigation launched
Forensic testing on the remaining 32 bars revealed they had been filled with flour, according to the local outlet Fiji Village. Police said the exhibits were “all tampered with” and that the investigation is now focused on those directly responsible for managing the evidence at the High Court registry.
Justice Minister Siromi Turaga told Fiji One that the perpetrators would “not be spared” and emphasized that this is not the first instance of evidence tampering in the country.
Background on the seized cocaine
The cocaine was originally seized from Fiji‑Canadian national Joshua Aziz Rahman in 2019. Rahman has been appealing his 2021 conviction and sentence, during which time the drugs were stored as court evidence.
Fiji police have noted a surge in drug‑related cases since 2018, with methamphetamine and cocaine offenses increasing sharply. In 2024, the United Nations identified Fiji as a regional hub for drug trafficking in the Pacific, and the number of drug arrests, primarily for methamphetamine, more than tripled in 2023.
Next steps
Authorities plan to question a person of interest who is believed to be overseas. The Justice Ministry has pledged to pursue the full force of the law against anyone found responsible for the theft and tampering of the evidence.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
