A host of international crime syndicates are increasingly moving drugs through Fiji, and some former national military personnel have joined with them, the country’s defense minister tells OCCRP in an interview.
A global collection of organized crime groups have entered into the lucrative business of trafficking drugs through Fiji — and they are increasingly arming themselves, the Pacific island nation’s defense minister said in an interview with OCCRP this week.
Fiji Defense Minister Pio Tikoduadua told OCCRP that the growing threat from groups ranging from South American cartels, Asian triads, and Australian street gangs was evident in two attempted raids on Republic of Fiji Military Forces armories last month, which led to the detention of a drug suspect who then died in army custody.
“It was an important event indicating to the nation and the government and the people that these guys are serious about their business,” he said of the attempted raids.
“They’re narcotics syndicates, and narcos come with … arms and ammunition, obviously, to protect whatever they have.”
Tikoduadua told OCCRP that South American cartels now operate in Fiji alongside Asian triads and Fijian-born members of the Australian street gang KVT. Some ex-soldiers have joined organized crime groups, he said, but did not specify how many.
“We know that some of them work for some of these syndicates,” he told OCCRP. “If one goes on to work against the very security that they are supposed to hold, then they become enemies of the state.”
Tikoduadua declined to comment on the investigation into the death while in military custody of a suspect in an attempted break-in at an armory, a Fijian man named Jone Vakirisi. Fiji Police Force have announced they are investigating his death as a murder.
The defense minister did, however, confirm that there is a separate and ongoing military investigation into at least one soldier for alleged involvement in the attempted armory raids.
