Fiji drugs: big-spenders gave the game away

By CATHERINE MASTERS and agencies

SUVA - A sinister display of wealth helped cause the downfall of one of the world's largest drug syndicates.

Signs of big money seemed out of place in an industrial neighbourhood of Suva and created suspicions among nearby factory workers.

They were curious as luxury cars with blacked-out windows and Asian passengers came and went in the dead of night to a seemingly empty warehouse.

Fijilive.com reported that neighbours' suspicions were confirmed when security cameras from a nearby business picked up activity at the compound after dark.

After looking at videotape from the cameras, the business owners became convinced illegal activity was taking place and tipped off authorities, the website reported.

Police from Fiji, Australia and New Zealand watched and waited for 14 months, then moved in this week as part of Operation Outrigger.

What they found bubbling in the warehouse on Wednesday were enough chemicals to produce more than 1000kg of crystal methamphetamine - the party drug known as "ice" - worth about F$1 billion ($874.43 million).

Yesterday a Hong Kong man found with millions of dollars in cash and jewellery at his home was arrested as police in countries around the Pacific hunt for links to a huge drugs ring.

Some of the "ice" was bound for Australia and New Zealand, possibly as soon as this week.

Workers at a T-shirt factory had been watching the factory for months. They thought it was a gambling den.

Herman Chung, owner of printing firm Zooloo Enterprise, said last night that he saw only BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes go by.

"We have been thinking like a lot of gambling's been going on, like Chinese mah-jong. So we thought it was just a couple of Chinese fellers getting together and that was about it," said Mr Chung.

"Sometimes they come in a van. First of all we thought it was a garment factory."

When police swarmed into the factory, smashing possibly the largest methamphetamine factory in the world, the workers were stunned.

Walter Whippy, one of Mr Chung's staff, said the Asians drove right inside the factory and closed the doors. But he had recently seen people there unloading 44-gallon drums, although he had no idea what was in them.

"I was shocked yesterday at what happened ... . 'cos in Fiji lately we just heard about marijuana, but this one here, first time for me."

New Zealand's acting national crime manager, Detective Superintendent Larry Reid, said the crime ring which had set up the lab could have a New Zealand connection.

The gang probably saw Fiji as an "out-of-the-place location" but one with a sizeable population.

"They could have access to all the usual necessities."

New Zealand police experts were yesterday continuing the dangerous task of dismantling the drugs factory.

Thirteen people in various countries were being questioned.

Hong Kong police arrested a 40-year-old man and said the syndicate had been successfully smashed.

They said the man was wanted for money laundering, and they had seized HK$30 million ($6.23 million) in cash and a large quantity of jewellery and other valuables.

Malaysian police also arrested six people, including a Hong Kong man and a Hong Kong woman.

Seven others arrested in Fiji - identified only as four Hong Kong Chinese and three Fijians - will appear in court today on charges of importing illegal chemicals.

Charges against illicit drug-production do not exist in Fiji.

Fiji Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes said the existing legislation was "designed for an era when these sorts of things were not even dreamed of".

Fiji's Director-General of Customs, Tony O'Connor, said most of the chemicals found at the warehouse were imported legally but some were illegal substances brought in under false labels.

Police said the four arrested Hong Kong Chinese had arrived in Fiji on visitors' permits.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said the Suva factory was an opportunistic operation but "like New Zealand, just because you bust them once doesn't mean they don't come back".

It had become harder for drug manufacturers to operate in New Zealand, so some would try to operate overseas "and get the stuff into New Zealand".