$20m drug bust in Fiji

Fiji police have arrested several "foreign nationals" and are questioning them over a drug bust they say is worth $F28 million ($19.8m).

"Police say they have also confiscated a large amount of white powder believed to be raw material for a drug product and allegedly originated from China," the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported today.

Police spokesman Atunaisa Sokomuri said the street value of the powder after processing would be $F28 million and that investigations were triggered by a tip-off that drugs being sent from China would arrive in Fiji yesterday.

Mr Sokomuri said police worked with customs officers in intercepting the shipment.

The suspects were being interrogated.

Earlier this month, border protection agents at Nadi International Airport said they had seized close to 15,000 pills of Contact NT - used to manufacture crystal methamphetamine.

The commander of the border police, Senior Superintendent Rusiate Saini, said Fiji was being used as a transit point, to western markets. The airport seizures involved passengers coming off flights from Asia.

- NZPA