Fiji - Being searched in paradise

publications & followups

To note: As Fiji's authorities battle a major drug crisis, the government has announced a reset of its police force. The changes backed by Australia are aimed at rooting out corruption and restoring integrity in Fiji's law enforcement. (ABC Pacific - Fiji announces reset of the police force - Mon 10 Jun 2024 at 8:00 am).

Medication Followup (Sep 2024): We contacted the prescribing practitioner who advised us to write on the packets that the Contents opened Fijian customs, then date and notate on the prescription copy with the practitioners contact detail should anyone have future queries.

Vuda Marina Followup (Sep 2024): Vuda Marina have made contact and provided satisfactory written non-remunerative resolve to the challenges we had, which is all we can ask for.

Dingy Theft (Sep 2024): Still no reply from Fijian Police.

Publications:
> South Pacific WhatApp cruising groups,
> Navionics (Garmin) charting platform,
> Cruising Apps, and
> Cruising Publications.

'Please feel free to share this link with a wider audience' - James.

leaving a bad taste - Fiji

We also understand that our approach to the search may not be to the liking of some and could have very easily escalated by ‘standing one’s ground’.

The Fijian officials who spoke to us were courteous. They kept us in the loop about what they were doing in an engaging manner (so we thought!).

However, the bad taste (in particular those with international yachts and on Rallies, as was our case) who spend a lot of money in various countries (around F$14,000, excluding accomodation, in Fiji), are sharing this experience with other potential cruising yachts to the detriment of the Fijian tourism.

This sadly impacts those who depend on the yachting generosity and income, such as the small communities on Komo Island and others in the Lau Group, east of Fiji.

We vetted other island elders who too were shocked at the goings-on in their own country. A chief from an island in the Yasawa Group, was ropable as we shared this experience with him.

money missing since search

Since we departed Savusavu, we have been unable to locate the CFP100,000 from our safe, to which all their staff on board had full access.

As both crew were separated during this process, neither could keep an eye on the goings-on over the table with the money that we were directed to place on the table.

The passing comment made to us by a person-of-authority around the table saying 'if anything is missing, come and see me', only adds to our suspicion.

Given that Police were also present, reporting this now would be futile. Our lack of Police communication on the attempted theft of our dingy at Komo Island (Lau Group), is another very good example of no return communication.
Read the Komo Island article here.

Added to this was our Vuda Marina boat damage experience. If you are coming to Fiji, you may want to read our Vuda Marina article too.

All-in-all, has an international cruiser, the experience has not been positive by any means in Fiji.

misguided presumptive information & hunches

On a funny side note, Customs were debriefing at the yacht club a ½ hour later on the grass, when my First Mate walked past with another two cartons of beer. Their facial expressions were priceless.

Later, at the bar talking to other cruising yachts, we were told this was the norm. The searches are random, some when you first arrive, others a few days later, and then like us, nearly 10 days later.

While we strongly support and compliment their proactive approach, a search to the extent they did on our yacht was very extreme and could have easily gone southward with the wrong person.

The presumptive information and hunches they were given are sadly misguided, as they certainly picked the wrong yacht.

receipts for wine purchases

We are fond of the quiet amber and red liquids. They checked our stocks against our entry paperwork 10 days prior to entry to Fiji. We had since purchased here in Savusavu in addition to that on the entry records.

So was very surprised when we were sternly told:
“We have a problem here”.
“And what’s the problem?” James asked.
“This is above the legal limits,” he said.

We calmly stated that they had been purchased since our arrival, to which he pondered for a second.

Then someone next to him said, “Do you have a receipt?”

It was just fortunate that James had made this particular purchase on his Visa card. We try and pay cash for everything. After two officers peered over his shoulder at his electronic Visa record, you could see the wind blown from their sails (excuse the pun).

If we hadn’t produced a receipt, we are certain they would have confiscated the wine, fined us, or both.

national border challenges - Fiji

As a pilot, James flew to Fiji many times. In fact, flew into New Zealand, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the United States for twenty years of his career.

We are both from the aviation industry, so have first-hand experience in the challenges facing national borders, their security and policing. It was interesting to see how differently one is treated and respected when they are an ASIC holder, wear a cap, and have stripes on their shoulders.

Also boarding the yacht were two Customs people from Indonesia, who just sat quietly and watched.

James made small talk with them too, given the two monthly trips he used to make to Indonesia as a pilot over eight years. Great country and has the kindest people, very much like Fiji.

how many times have you been to Fiji?

We were asked why we kept a sail in our saloon. It is a AUD30,000 new parasail. Those who know parasails, they are particular about how they are hoisted, packed and stowed. Any breath of wind and away it blows/goes. We kept ours inside as it did not fit the external lockers and needed to keep it dry.

They asked us to take it outside, in the breeze and unwrap it on the front deck.

We said no to that, as this was stretching the courtesy we offered, too far. Following this, they then made a beeline to the sail bag and spent the next 10 minutes feeling every crack and corner.

“How many times have you been to Fiji?” James was then asked.
“Five,” he said, assuming she meant for holidays.

“FIVE…that’s a lot”, never asking when or why. In fact it was more times than that. As an airline employee, we came here on a regular basis.

we only carry 12 life jackets

They also had a tribe of ‘observers in-training we were told’ and always asked if we minded them following their leaders through the process. I didn’t have an issue with this at all, as long as they removed their shoes and treated the yacht with respect, which they did.

The legal issue here was the amount of people on the yacht. We only carry 12 life jackets and there certainly appeared to be more than that on board on two occasions.

It’s a difficult scenario. Do you restrict entry to an Authority, making matters worse, or do you hope the Australian law (on an Australian registered vessel) works in your favour in a foreign country when/if things go pair-shaped? Would your Insurer cancel your insurance for non-compliance?

After the crew were separated, we quietly sat and made loose talk about rugby, Fiji having just got a silver in the Olympics.

drugs, money, alcohol search

We are not required to have a logbook. So, we were very surprised when we were asked to present a ships logbook, which we did keep. In the logbook, they photographed various pages, we assume to crosscheck against what we had written on previous ports documentation, not sure.

We were then questioned why some latitude and longitude data were missing from the logbook entries. To which we advised that the port name was there. We keep a logbook for adding to our experience record for Insurance purposes and get additional Insurance perks as a result, there is no legal requirement to have a logbook, let alone have it filled in on a small private Australian registered vessel.

The intensive search took over one hour and was very thorough, including looking in the drawers, sailbags, fridge, freezers, inside shoes and clothing. The cushions were unzipped and checked. While we could be picky and say that everything was not put back like it was before their arrival, they did try their best to return all gear as it was.

As our yacht was in charter and came with all bedding nine people, they strangely questioned us as to why we had so many bags of towels and bedding. After some explaining, they appeared appeased.

Cat 1 - prescribed medications...all opened - Fiji

Our Cat 1 Medical Kit prescription packets are in the safe (as stated on the Fiji entry documentation). They went about opening all the sealed packets to check packet contents without either of us being present. We were told, they also carefully read the prescription labels.

This now presents a major problem at our next international port, where we will be asked why the seals to the packets of prescribed medications have been opened with no notation in the record sheets by the person opening the packets. We didn’t see them opening the packets, but they were all open after their departure.

The three rotations of teams systematically entered and departed. EVERY area that could be opened, was opened and very well searched with gloves and lights. In the areas they couldn’t open, they asked for help to open them. We were also asked for a document showing vessel access ports.

The only document we had, came with the yacht from Leopard Catamarans. They then ventured outside and asked for assistance with all lockers outside where the same rigorous process took place.

"money disappears - Fiji"

“You say you have F$3500, CFP100,000.… Is there any more money?” They asked.

“I’ve got some Australian dollars in my wallet, but that’s it,” James said.

“Could you bring it all out and place it on the table please?”

“Sure,” he said and placed all the cash on the table.

“Do you have guns, ammunition or any drugs onboard?”

“Yes, we do, only what is on the documentation, and that’s in the safe,” James said. Our ‘drugs’ are Schedule 8 medicines (as defined under Australian legislation), and part of our extended range Cat 1 Offshore Medical Kit.

“We are going to bring a dog onboard. Is that OK?”. They then called their sniffer dog onboard. The dogs even had booties on. It trounced everywhere, on the table, chairs, and beds and then did its sniff.

“Could you give us access to your safe please?”, they asked, which we did. They then systematically emptied the safe and went through everything.

"Bula...we are Fijian Customs"

“Bula, we are Fijian Customs, Immigration and Police (plus dog), we would like to come onboard your yacht. Looking for captain please”, they said.

“That’s me, James. How can I help?” he said.

“We are conducting random checks on yachts, we have your Fiji entry paperwork, and we would like to come aboard please”…

“Um…sure,” he said rather surprised, given that we had been in Fiji for ten days already.

There were about thirty (30) well-groomed people and two sniffer dogs on the pontoon. Obligingly, we invited some on.

They were courteous, removing shoes before setting foot on the yacht. The opposite of our previous experience in a country where muddy boots left their calling marks. The mud marks are still showing some four weeks later.

money missing after being searched , Fiji

surprise...we are here to search you!