Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
A Fiji police officer has been charged with possessing illegal drugs.
Last week, the officer was found with 6037 branches of dried leaves after the search was conducted at his home.
Fiji police said the dried leaves tested positive for cannabis sativa.
Fiji has been struggling to deal with drug use and supply in its country. Eighteen people were arrested on drugs charges in the first five days of the year.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations Livai Driu said at the time they will continue with the war against drugs, but they need everyone's support.
Last year, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka pleaded with the public not to even think about trying drugs after a video of a young naked women reportedly begging for a hit circled social media.
Speaking on Radio Fiji One's "Na Domonivanua" programme this week, Rabuka highlighted that while the government and law enforcement agencies are taking action, the responsibility to address and eradicate drug abuse also lies within the family unit.
"The government's efforts will only be successful if we start with the families, as they play a critical role in preventing drug abuse."
Another arrest was made after police searched passengers of a shipping vessel from a Maritime island on 18 January.
A 31-year-old man from Kinoya was found with a blue bag containing 4 parcels of dried leaves wrapped in clear plastic believed to be marijuana.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations Livai Driu said the team also found 572 branches of dried leaves belived to be marijuana wrapped in a black sulu.
He said police had started to uproot plants in Maritime islands as information continues to come in, and police had also uprooted drugs in Lau, Levuka, Gau, and in Taveuni.
"Our search on shipping vessels will continue in our efforts on eradicating drugs," he said.
"We are glad that our stakeholders are providing us with information that has led to drugs being confiscated and suspected persons arrested."
FBC reported all five police divisions are involved in a coordinated approach that targets drug operations and also includes traffic management, community policing, and search operations.
Driu said this is part of their strategy to reduce drug supply and strengthen community safety.
