A suspended Fiji Airways flight attendant Frederick Epeli appeared in the Nadi Magistrates Court yesterday, after he allegedly facilitated in exporting two parcels weighing 2.015 kilograms of cocaine and other illicit drugs.
Epeli has been remanded in custody until the 10th of this month and the case has been transferred to the Lautoka High Court, while the hunt continues for the second suspect.
Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho says officers from the Criminal Investigations Department produced Epeli in court for his alleged involvement in the transportation of illicit substances on board our national carrier.
Qiliho says an investigation was launched by a special CID team after information was received about the alleged involvement of the airline staff member in the transportation of illicit substances.
The Commissioner says close cooperation between the Fiji Police and Fiji Airways resulted in the successful arrest of the accused person last Friday.
Epeli is charged with one count of unlawful importation and exportation and one count of unlawful possession, manufacture, cultivation and supply of illicit drugs.
Qiliho says investigators continue to search for the second suspect who is alleged to have supplied the illicit drugs and facilitated the exchange.
He also commends the support shown by Fiji Airways for giving Police their full cooperation since the matter was brought to the airline’s attention.
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