Over 20,000 marijuana plants seized, 42 arrested in Fiji's north
Fiji police seized more than 20,000 marijuana plants and arrested 42 people during special operations in the Northern Division between 17 January and 12 February 2024. Assistant Commissioner Livai Driu said the raids targeted cultivators and distributors, crediting increased information sharing for the results.
Police arrested 42 people in drug-related operations across the Northern
Division between 17 January and 12 February 2024.[1]During the same period,
police seized more than 20,000 marijuana plants across the Northern Division.[1]Fiji Police Assistant Commissioner Operations Livai Driu said more green
plants, seeds and dried leaves believed to be marijuana were seized in the past
week.[1]
Driu attributed the recent successful raids and arrests largely to increased
sharing of information.[1]He said only cultivators and distributors benefited
from the illicit drug trade.[1]He added that while a few got rich, the rest
of society suffered the health and social implications.[1]Police said the
special operations aimed to identify new farms and revisit known cultivation
areas.[1]
Photos and video
Marijuana seized by police in the Northern Division. Photo: Fiji Police via The Fiji TimesPhoto details
Police with K-9 units arrested four men at Narain Jetty, Suva, on the night of 18 October 2026 after finding dried leaves, green branches and sachets believed to be marijuana in luggage of outer-island arrivals. Analysis was pending.
A joint Fiji Police Force and military operation seized 47,042 marijuana plants from 93 farms in the Northern Division, with 22 people arrested. Policing Minister Ioane Naivalurua announced the totals in a ministerial statement in Parliament on 26 May 2026.
Police in Fiji's Northern Division seized more than 7,000 marijuana plants, some over four metres tall, from a farm at Qaranibali in Vusasivo, Natewa, on 25 March 2026. A drone found the plantation during Operation Sasamaki; the plants were taken for analysis and police said three months later that no arrests had been made.
The Savusavu Operations team seized more than 400 plants believed to be marijuana in a raid at the Tacilevu farming area on 26 November 2024. The farm owner was yet to be known and investigations were continuing, with no arrests reported.
