A fisherman from a remote island in the Cook Islands says he feared for his life after a routine reef fishing trip led to the discovery of a mysterious package containing cocaine worth millions of dollars in street value.
The fisherman, who RNZ Pacific has agreed not to name, discovered the package washed up on the reef in Mitiaro on 28 July, thinking it could be a body or a bomb.
Cook Islands fisherman recalls finding cocaine package on beach
“I had two thoughts then: first, I thought this could be a human body chopped up … [and] second, I was suddenly worried that I was wrong and this thing was a bomb and if it exploded right now I would die and no one would ever find me,” he told RNZ Pacific.
The contents of the package, weighing more than 26kg, have since been tested by Cook Islands Police, with preliminary testing indicating the presence of cocaine.
Nineteen packages alleged to be containing cocaine was found washed ashore in Mitiaro, Cook Islands
Cook Islands News
The fisherman recalled he initially thought he was looking at a turtle that had been killed by a shark and washed onto the reef. But as he got closer, he realised it was not a turtle.
While stricken with fear, he cautiously poked the package with his fishing rod to see if he could feel what it contained.
“So I rolled it to the other side and something fell out; this packet fell out, and that’s when it hit me, this was probably drugs.”
He then became concerned the package could be more dangerous than it looked, and still fearing it might be rigged with explosives, he left the package and continued fishing.
But while cleaning his catch back on shore, he could not stop thinking about it.
Worried the high tide might take it away, he reported his find to a local police officer who enlisted the help of a couple of young men to carry the package off the reef.
They also discovered two loose packets believed to have been knocked from the main package and washed further ashore by rough seas.
“We took the whole thing to the police officers house and then we cut into the package to have a proper look at what was inside. So there were 17 packets inside the sack and two found washed ashore, so there were 19 packets altogether.”
The material was taken to Rarotonga, where Cook Islands police said preliminary testing indicated the presence of cocaine.
In a press statement, police confirmed there were 19 bricks found, weighing approximately 26.49kg, including packaging.
Police are investigating where the package came from and whether it could be connected to other investigations.
Cook Islands Customs has also strengthened vessel monitoring and searches.
The fisherman said he was concerned about what the discovery could mean for Mitiaro and the wider Cook Islands.
He said the finds indicated there could be vessels travelling through Cook Islands waters as part of a bigger drug operation.
“We don’t know what their plan was,” he said.
“Maybe they were throwing it in the sea for another ship or yacht to pick up, something like that, or maybe they planned it all along to throw it in the sea to wash up on Mitiaro.”
Mitiaro is roughly 50 minutes by air from Rarotonga.
RNZ Pacific/Tiana Haxton
He worries such operations are not a new occurrence and this was only the first time they have been discovered in Mitiaro, which is roughly 50 minutes by air from Rarotonga.
He wants the world to know that drugs should not be carried through the Pacific Ocean, and his island home and community needs to be protected.
“So what do we want? We want to be protected,” he said.
“We don’t want any more of this stuff landing in our paradise, otherwise maybe next time it’ll be a young one that comes across a package while fishing, and maybe they’ll hide it and keep it secret.
“But the main message is we don’t want this to happen again.”
Police thanked the fisherman and the Mitiaro community for their assistance and cooperation.
They are reminding the public not to touch suspicious packages, and to contact police immediately if they find them.
