A Tongan national and two Fijians denied bail after facing meth and cannabis charges.
A Tongan citizen, Mafua Afimeimounga, along with Fiji-born Mohammed Aziz and Merelita Kusuna, each faced allegations of possessing 2.260 g of methamphetamine and 1.4 g of cannabis in a Fijian court on Friday. Afimeimounga also faces a separate drug‐possession charge, the court heard.
Bail was refused amid concerns that methamphetamine remains a serious national threat and the trio might abscond, prosecution submissions revealed. All three have sought Legal Aid and were advised to lodge formal bail applications.
This case comes amid escalating drug enforcement across the region. Fiji recently recorded one of its largest meth seizures—over 4.2 tonnes—highlighting an intensifying battle against narcotics. In Tonga, police continue a zero‐tolerance policy, seizing significant amounts of meth and cannabis in recent months.
Legal experts note Fiji’s crackdown is part of a broader regional push to contain a growing meth crisis, with courts increasingly denying bail to reflect the drug’s severity.
A further hearing is scheduled for 25 July in the Fijian court. Updates on bail outcomes and potential sentencing will follow.
