Cocaine replaced with flour at Fiji high court

Authorities in Fiji have launched an investigation following the discovery that 39 kilograms of cocaine, serving as evidence in a major drug trafficking trial, were replaced with flour. The incident occurred at the High Court in Suva, the nation's capital, and concerns the trial of Fiji-Canadian national Joshua Aziz Rahman.

The breach was initially identified on September 15, when officials discovered that seven out of 39 bricks of cocaine were missing during an evidence room inspection. Subsequent forensic testing revealed that the remaining 32 kilograms had also been replaced with flour. The total street value of the missing narcotics is estimated to be up to 31 million dollars.

Fijian police are currently investigating how the security protocols were bypassed and the extent of involvement by individuals responsible for safeguarding the evidence. The case highlights significant failures in the management of sensitive judicial assets. While the investigation remains ongoing, authorities are working to determine the identity of those who facilitated the theft and tampering, though no arrests have been formally announced in connection with the site-specific breach as of late September 2026.