Pills [Source: nzherald]

New Zealand authorities have thanked the Fijian Police for their assistance in the investigation of a New Zealander convicted of drug-related offenses.

In 2015, Christopher Chase was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in New Zealand for drug-related offenses.

The street value of the illegal pills he sold was reported at nearly NZ$50 million.

Fijian authorities provided assistance to the New Zealand Police during the course of their investigation of Chase and his co-offenders to identify any proceeds of crime located in Fiji.

Subsequently, a restraining order was registered over the proceeds of the sale of a property in Fiji which was owned by Chase.

The proceeds totaling over $89,000, were then held in the Fijian Forfeited Assets Fund account.

In December, the New Zealand Government formally advised that it will not seek to recover the forfeited asset that is the funds and advised that Fijian authorities may retain the money.

Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stated the Government plans to utilize the forfeited assets to fund efforts to strengthen Fiji’s capacity to combat money-laundering.