Cocaine

Investigators believe the illegal drug was either laced with some kind of poison or "cut" with another substance.

The regional security minister called on any users who had bought cocaine in the past 24 hours to throw it away.

Reports suggest the drugs were bought in the same shantytown, and nine arrests have been made.

Investigators are awaiting the results of post-mortem examinations to compare drugs seized in raids with those consumed by the victims.

Joshua Aziz Rahman was arrested after Police found 39 bars of cocaine weighing a total of 39.5 kg in a house rented by Rahman and his father in Caubati, Suva in February 2019.

Justice Daniel Goundar said Rahman had the option to live a good and decent life but he chose a life of crime.

He said rehabilitation is of little value when the offender does not take responsibility for his crime.

Fijivillage reports Rahman was not present in court today.

He appeared via a zoom link from the Remand Centre.

A non-parole period of 14 years has been set.

A report from KPS said that as illicit drugs are already in the country, people particularly youths, are probably using it.

KPS said the pure cocaine package, weighed 1.5kg while the other package containing marijuana weighed more than 3kg.

The drugs are being kept at the Kiribati Police Headquarters in Betio.

Police have called on the public to report information related to suspected drug use and possession.

Police officers have been sweeping Bethells Beach since Wednesday night and have uncovered 19 packages filled with the drug.

"It is believed the amount found would have a street value of approximately $3 million dollars," Detective Inspector Colin Parmenter said.

"Police with the assistance of NZ Customs have conducted a thorough search of the beach and surrounding areas in an effort to locate any further packages.

He said more packages could show up on the beach and anyone who finds anything suspicious should contact police as soon as possible.

Victoria Buchanan is thought to have ingested the drug after realising it was in her possession while waiting to fly home to Dubai in March last year.

Moments later she collapsed and was taken to hospital where she died.

Assistant coroner Andrew Bridge concluded her death was by misadventure.

Mrs Buchanan, 42, originally from Kilmarnock, Scotland, had moved to Dubai in 2010 and worked as a teacher in the United Arab Emirates, Manchester Coroner's Court heard.

He and wife Yvette were arrested after Fijian authorities discovered more than $US14 million dollars’ worth of drugs, along with two guns, on their vessel, Shenanigans, as it arrived in Port Denarau in June.

While Ms Nikolic was acquitted on all charges, Mr Nikolic was last week found guilty of drug importation, possession, and failure to declare arms and ammunitions to a customs officer following a trial at the High Court in Suva.

Fiji Village reports that Justice Daniel Goundar on Friday handed down a sentence of 23 years' jail with no parole for 18 years.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said the acreage under coca cultivation rose to 171,000 hectares in 2017, a 17% increase from 2016.

The agency warned production could harm recent peace-building efforts.

Colombia is the world's largest producer of cocaine, much of which ends up in the US - which is the world's largest consumer.

Gloria María Borrero Restrepo, Colombia's justice minister, reportedly called the data "really very worrying".

Denise Marie Woodrum, 51, was arrested at Sydney Airport last year after border officials found cocaine stuffed inside high heels and other belongings in her luggage.

In January, she pleaded guilty to the illegal import but told the court she was a victim of an online romance scam.

A judge found she had willingly participated in the operation.

On Thursday, the New South Wales District Court sentenced Woodrum, from Missouri, to a maximum of seven-and-a-half years in jail.

Media reports say upon arrest last year the three men - two Dutchmen and a Pole - were not given advice on how to challenge the search of their yacht in their native languages.

The lawyers say failing to have done so nullifies the case.

However, according to Radio1 the prosecution claimed that customs staff could search any docked vessel and any challenge could only be filed within 72 hours.

A decision is expected in three weeks.

The three suspects claimed they didn't know about the cocaine on their yacht when they were caught in the Marquesas Islands.

The captain, who is a 70-year old from the Netherlands, has been jailed for nine years, which is two years more than the sentence in the criminal court earlier this year.

The other two, a 54-year-old from Peru and a 39-year-old from Poland, have each been given seven-year jail terms.

According to Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes, the trio had earlier also been fined more than $US25 million.

The street value of the drugs was estimated to be about $US450 million.