Fiji’s Lautoka High Court Judge Justice Aruna Aluthge today handed down sentences in the country’s biggest-ever drug case, where nine people were convicted over the importation of 4.1 tonnes of methamphetamine worth $2 billion.
According to FijiVillage, Justin Ho, identified as the mastermind of the operation, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 30 years. His co-accused, David Heritage and Jale Aukerea, received 55 years and 50 years respectively, each with non-parole periods of 25 years.
Image: David Heritage, Jale Aukerea, Louie Logaivau, Sakiusa Tuva, Ratu Aporosa Davelevu, Ratu Osea Levula, Cathy Tuirabe and Viliame Colawaliku (Source: FijiVillage – Facebook)
Others sentenced include Louie Logaivau and Sakiusa Tuva, who each received 25 years with 18 years non-parole, while Ratu Aporosa Davelevu was jailed for 18 years with 12 years non-parole. Cathy Tuirabe was sentenced to 15 years with 14 years non-parole, Ratu Osea Levula to 17 years with 13 years non-parole, and Viliame Colawaliku to 15 years with 12 years non-parole.
Justice Aluthge stressed that this case was far from “run-of-the-mill,” calling it the largest drug bust in the Pacific. He said Ho had taken instructions from Australian drug kingpin Sam Amine and directed the movement of methamphetamine within Fiji.
“The illicit drug trade has badly affected Fiji’s national security and has had significant health impacts, including deaths,” Justice Aluthge said, adding that methamphetamine use has also fuelled the spread of HIV through injecting.
He noted there were no mitigating factors for Ho, while Heritage’s cooperation and lack of prior convictions were taken into account. Still, he emphasised that authorities must come down hard on drug traffickers to demonstrate Fiji’s zero-tolerance stance.
All nine were convicted of importing and possessing methamphetamine between November 2023 and January 2024 in Nadi.
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