A major crackdown is now underway to try to stop drug cultivation and peddling in the country.

It has become a growing problem over the years and police say they know that a number of students have also started to develop the habit of smoking marijuana, without realizing the dangers associated with the drug.

Police have recently conducted many raids on farms in Navosa and just in the past two weeks, some shops in Suva have been targeted for selling marijuana.

Police Commissioner Commodore Esala Teleni said urgent action needs to be taken.

"Drugs are our major concern because it involves a lot of people, of many different backgrounds, contributes to a barrier between people and it causes a lot of crime in Fiji and we have a team that is working around the clock, monitoring and doing investigations. We have a team that was in Keyasi a few weeks ago. We’re taking extra steps and measures to try and cut down drug abuse here in Fiji." Police Commissioner Commodore Esala Teleni.

A few days ago, a team of police officers from Sigatoka and Keyasi police posts raided a farm in Keyasi and uprooted more than 450 plants believed to be marijuana. The street value of the plants uprooted was more than $25,000.

The raid was carried out upon information received from members of the public.