WELLINGTON: As the hub of the Pacific, the introduction of drug detection scanners at our two international airports this weekend is crucial in efforts to secure our borders. Thanks to the Australian customs authorities, the Nausori and Nadi Airports will be equipped with drug detection scanners which have been proven successful in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. With the increasing free flow of goods and people, the Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority labelled Fiji’s potential risks to safety and security as high. Coupled with visa waiver arrangement with a number of countries, the possibility of drug traffickers visiting or transiting at our ports has increased.
Druggies continue to come up with new and innovative ways of smuggling drugs into other countries. This includes body strapping, body insertions and other concealment methods. Our customs and border control unit must be on top of their game. This drug detector scanners are capable of identifying chemical signatures related to narcotics trafficking, distribution and manufacturing.
The technology can also test chemicals right on the spot and identify if it is drug. It can identify explosives, toxic industrial chemical, warfare agents, narcotics and precursor white powders.
In 2007, the then Police Commissioner Esala Teleni had highlighted the need to install information technology software and drug detection scanners at the Nadi International Airport. This was after a Mexican woman and a man from Argentina passed customs with 2 kilo gramme of cocaine wrapped as lollies. The pair were later apprehended by Police after a tip-off.
In the past two years, Fiji’s border control unit has done well. $45million worth of drugs has been detected even without the new gadgets. FRCA has plans to bring in more drug detection scanners to be introduced at parcel post locations nationwide. This will depend on the success of the initial two.
Moving forward, the strengthening of partnerships with regional border control agencies to combat illegal drug trafficking through joint operations and sharing of information will be vital.