Photo: RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly
The warning comes following discoveries of clandestine laboratories by police in the Western and Eastern divisions.
The head of the police drug unit, Assistant Superintendent, Anare Masitabua, said the impact of meth on the life of a drug user could be very dangerous .
The pattern of people now producing the drug in bathtubs, using dangerous alternative substances, is even more worrying to police.
Masitabua said some people used cleaning detergent to extract sulfide acid to cook the meth. But in other cases, they use the whole chemical such as rat poison to cook drugs, which could give a same high as meth but more damaging.
Arieta Vakasukawaqa
Methamphetamine. File image. Photo: 123RF
THE Fiji Police Force made shocking discoveries of illicit drugs more lethal than methamphetamine being produced locally.
This was revealed by Fiji Police Force Drugs Unit officer in charge Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anare Masitabua.
He said police intelligence reports had revealed there were various clandestine laboratories in the Western and Eastern divisions.
He said people were resorting to the “bath tub method” to produce an illicit drug far more dangerous than methamphetamine.
“The impact of methamphetamine on the life of a drug user could be very dangerous,” ASP Masitabua said.
“It is even more concerning that people are now using crap substances when manufacturing illicit drugs.
23 February, 2021, 4:00 pm
Corporal Ovini Burekalou of the Kadavu Police Station elaborates on the drugs statistics over the years at the bose
vanua at Vunisea, Kadavu. Picture: ABISHEK CHAND
Police are investigating leads on the local production of methamphetamine as the illicit drug continues to be on the rise despite the closure of borders because of COVID-19, according to Fiji Police Force Drugs Unit officer in charge Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anare Masitabua.
He revealed this during an interview at the community policing symposium at The Pearl Resort in Pacific Harbour.
“We have seen from last year, before the COVID-19 pandemic there was a tremendous increase in methamphetamine use in Fiji,” he said.
The Fiji Times » $321m worth of marijuana seized last year fijitimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fijitimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Fiji Times
Picture: FILE
In
The Fiji Times edition of Wednesday, February 24, 2021, you will read about illicit drugs more lethal than methamphetamine are being cooked in makeshift labs in the country.
This, according to Fiji Police Force Drugs Unit officer in charge assistant superintendent of police Anare Masitabua. Of concern was the fact that dangerous chemicals like rat poison was being used in the manufacture of these drugs
That and more interesting stories but here’s your briefing of what to expect in
The Fiji Times today, Wednesday, February 24, 2021:
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama(middle) during the commissioning of the new Keyasi sub-divisional Hospital. Picture: LUKE NACEI.