Sainimili Magimagi 
[File Photo]
Illegal drugs are being smuggled into cemeteries with some using visits to graves as cover.
Fiji Corrections Service Deputy Commissioner Auta Moceisuva revealed this to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights.
He states officers now conduct daily patrols, night spot checks and sniffer dog sweeps to catch offenders and separate genuine mourners from criminals.
“And we constantly check, monitor, people are there on the ground to, because we can tell by who is coming genuinely to, you know, to really do a cleanup and who is coming for some other reasons. And also, we carry out spot checks during the night.”
Moceisuva said the longstanding practice of wrapping caskets with excessive mats has been limited, saving costs and preventing misuse.
He stressed that officers monitor every visitor to public cemeteries to ensure no illegal items are hidden on the grounds.
Cemetery records remain largely manual, with some going back to the late 1800s, though many were lost during the 1979-1980 riots.
Moceisuva highlighted the urgent need to digitize records, with divisional offices submitting monthly reports to the central office as a temporary safeguard.
Committee member Faiyaz Koya also pointed out that accurate, centralized records are crucial for families to trace burial plots and maintain cemetery integrity.
The Burial and Cremation Amendment Bill 2025 aims to modernize cemetery management, tighten legal safeguards, and prevent cemeteries from being exploited for illegal activity including drugs.
The committee stated that digitization and stricter supervision are essential to protect these sacred grounds.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
