More than 60 packages, suspected to contain cocaine, discovered along Fiji coastline

SYDNEY, June 22. /TASS/. Police in Fiji are conducting an investigation after more than 60 packages containing a white powdery substance washed ashore on several islands across the archipelago, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported, citing local law enforcement agencies.

According to the police, 27 packages were found in the Lau Islands and sent to the forensic laboratory in Suva for analysis. Another 36 packages were recovered at sea off Muni Island and along the coast of Kamea Island. Earlier, a sealed package containing a white substance was discovered on Kadavu Island, and laboratory testing confirmed it contained cocaine. Authorities therefore do not rule out that the remaining packages found in other areas may also contain narcotics.

Fiji police said they are continuing efforts to locate additional packages and are working with regional and international law enforcement agencies to determine their origin and intended destination. Coastal residents have been urged not to open any suspicious items and to report them immediately to authorities.

According to the Australian Federal Police, since January 2026 law enforcement agencies across the Pacific region have seized around 17 tons of narcotics, mostly cocaine, a significantly higher volume than that recorded throughout 2025. Authorities note that in recent years Pacific island states have increasingly been used by international criminal networks as a transit route for drug shipments from South America to Australia and New Zealand.