Fiji Police have launched an investigation after several blocks of cocaine that were being held at the Suva High Court as exhibits in a high-profile drug case went missing.
In a statement, police said the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was investigating how seven cocaine bars, which were among 39 exhibits stored at the Suva High Court Exhibit Room, disappeared.
Police assistant commissioner (crime) Loraini Seru said a physical check of the exhibits was conducted on Tuesday.
The check was carried out in front of senior judiciary officials, a senior official from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, police and an officer from the Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) who documented the inspection process.
“Investigations are underway by a team from the CID,” the police statement said.
Commissioner Krissy Barrett said 17 tonnes of illicit drugs, mostly cocaine, were seized by local and international law enforcement in the Pacific since January.
Pacific police chiefs have endorsed the launch of Pacific Watch, an online crime-reporting service, while Australian and New Zealand police have announced they will fund a strike force in Colombia to fight the Pacific drug trade.
