Police confirm there are ongoing investigations handled by the CID Headquarters and Serious Organised Crime into the misappropriation of funds, the illegal exportation of controlled substances, money laundering and proceeds of crime.
This is the comment of Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime Mesake Waqa when questioned by fijivillage News on what steps the Police have taken in relation to convicted drug dealer who is engaged in the pharmaceutical business, Aiyaz Musa Umarji.
Musa is back in the country after being released from Auckland Prison.
ACP Waqa confirms that they are investigating cases that surfaced after the team had analysed reports compiled by the Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit.
The Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit has confirmed to fijivillage News that they had provided several financial intelligence reports to the Fiji Police Force between 2017 to 2022, prior to the successful conviction of Aiyaz Musa Umarji in New Zealand in August last year.
This has resulted in serious questions being raised on how Musa who was connected to a chain of pharmaceutical outlets in the country, was allowed to continue without action taken by Fijian law enforcement agencies.
fijivillage News has been pursuing the local authorities here for months and asked the Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit to confirm whether it has assessed the case of the Director of Hyperchem Pharmacies in Fiji, Aiyaz Musa after he was convicted of importation of drugs into New Zealand for the manufacture of methamphetamine.
It has been stated in the Auckland District Court’s official documents received by fijivillage News that Musa was the managing director of several pharmacies in Fiji and across the Pacific region under the 'Hyperchem' group of pharmacies including 'Hyperchem Pharmacy' in Lautoka, Fiji.
Based on the NZ court conviction details, we asked the Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit how did the unit deal with the issue and is dealing with the matter, knowing that Musa was involved in serious criminal activities, and he was actively sending a large amount of drugs to NZ for the manufacture of methamphetamine.
fijivillage News also asked the question on what is the Fiji FIU doing regarding the identification of suspicious transactions, knowing that drugs, mainly the usage of hard drugs are seriously on the rise and easily accessible here.
While responding to the question on how is the Fiji FIU working with Police in dealing with proceeds of crime when it comes to cases like that of Musa, and alerting the authorities, the FIU said last year that they had provided several financial intelligence reports to the Fiji Police Force between 2017 to 2022, prior to the conviction of Musa in New Zealand.
