A MAN arrested in a Fiji drug bust with links to Chinese organised crime has been identified as Lagomarsino Bales, son of Palau Senate President, Hokkons Baules.
Also arrested was Ginna Mukunghoa Choi of the Federated States of Micronesia who was designated by Palauan authorities as an undesirable alien. This was after the Palau National Security Coordination Office alleged she was associated with known Chinese drug traffickers.
The two were among 10 people arrested last week during a major anti-drug operation as local police with the help of foreign drug enforcement agencies clamp down on methamphetamine production, trafficking and trade.
Also arrested in the raids were four Chinese nationals.
Police Minister, Brigadier Ioane Naivalurua, has been reported in local media as saying drug seizures in the first nine months of 2025 have a street value of $FJD200 million.
There have been 3441 arrests, mostly of people aged between 18 and 35.