POLICE MUM ON DRUG PROBE

POLICE have treated reports on a foreigner's possible involvement in
the wide scale cultivation of marijuana in the Navosa highlands as
confidential.

The foreigner, whose identity has not been revealed, was believed to
be in the country for the last few years.

A team of 30 police officers carrying out a drug operation in the
highlands of central Viti Levu since last Tuesday was aware of reports
on the foreigner's possible involvement.

Since embarking on the operation, the team of police officers has
uprooted more than 5000 marijuana plants from various places in Navosa
province.

The tyres of four police vehicles used in the operation were also
punctured by nails, which police believe were deliberately thrown on
the road by marijuana farmers to stop them.

A senior police officer said the team was aware of reports on a
foreigner's possible involvement in the wide-scale cultivation of
marijuana in the province.

The senior officer declined to say whether police had located the
foreigner and questioned him in connection with his alleged
involvement in the cultivation.

"We know about him but it is something that is highly confidential and
as such I cannot say anything further," he said.

Police officers from Ba, Lautoka, Namaka, Nadi, Sigatoka and Keiyasi
police stations are involved in the operation to destroy marijuana
farms in the highlands.

The officers have been swimming across rivers and walked long
distances to reach the marijuana farms, most of which are reported to
be far from the villages.

They have not faced any confrontation by the cultivators so far and
the only problem they encountered was the puncturing of tyres of
police vehicles used in the operation.