Cocaine worth more than $10 million replaced with flour in Fiji drug trial
Authorities in Fiji have discovered that over $10 million worth of cocaine held as evidence in a high-profile drug trial was replaced with flour. Police are currently investigating internal corruption at the Suva High Court, as the missing narcotics remain unaccounted for.
Why it matters
This incident highlights significant security and corruption vulnerabilities within the judicial system of Fiji, potentially undermining the integrity of major criminal prosecutions.
Cocaine held in Suva's High Court was replaced with flour. ( Supplied: Pixabay )
Link copied Share Share article More than $10 million worth of cocaine stored at a Fiji court as evidence in a long-running drug-trafficking trial has been replaced with flour, in yet another apparent example of internal corruption that has plagued Fiji's authorities.
The ABC has confirmed 32 kilograms of cocaine stored at the Suva High Court for the long-running trial of Fiji-Canadian national Joshua Aziz Rahman had been replaced and is now effectively missing, with police investigating the incident.
Earlier this month, local media organisation Fiji Village reported that 7kg of cocaine involved in the trial was missing, and on Tuesday afternoon reported that the rest of the cocaine had been replaced with flour.
It means 39kg of cocaine from the trial is now unaccounted for.
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