Footy star who was busted selling drugs is stranded in Fiji after her visa back to Australia was refused
An NRLW player who admitted supplying cocaine and ketamine in Sydney’s CBD has been left stranded in the Pacific islands after her visa to return to Australia following a match was refused, a court has been told.
Aliti Namoce, 26, failed to appear at Downing Center Local Court on Monday where guilty pleas were entered on her behalf to two charges of possession of a prohibited drug and alleged drug supply.
She also pleaded guilty to one charge of dealing with the proceeds of crime.
The court was told that Ms Namoce had been granted a variation to her bail conditions earlier this year to allow her to travel to her native country to compete with the Fijian side, but she was refused entry into Australia.
The police prosecutor said there was no information before the court to show why Ms Namoce had not been granted a visa to re-enter Australia and risked breaching her bail if she remained stranded.
“The issue I am raising is that the suspension (of her bail conditions) was for a period of time. Unless it is readjusted, she would in fact be in breach of bail,” he told Deputy Chief Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis.
He went on to say that ‘there is no information about Australia’s visa refusal – which would be worrying – but there could be a perfectly legitimate reason’, and agreed to a two-week delay.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tsavdaridis told Ms Namoce’s lawyer that they were “informed” and that while approving the adjournment, the police could apply to detain Ms Namoce at the next opportunity.
Aliti Namoce is stranded in Fiji, but guilty pleas to drug supply have been entered on her behalf at Downing Center Local Court
The Fijian-born prop returned to the Pacific Islands for a football match
Police records submitted to the court show that police in Zetland were on patrol to ‘disrupt’ drug supply operations when they spotted a man getting into Ms Namoce’s car before leaving meters down the road.
When she was stopped by police a short time later, officers said they saw her “delaying in rolling down her window… (and) actively trying to delete messages and close applications on her phone.”
Police immediately seized the phone and a search of her car uncovered two plastic bags containing smaller packets containing white powders later separately determined to be cocaine and ketamine.
Police allege more than $1,000 in cash was the proceeds of crime and a pocket knife was also found, with Ms Namoce telling officers she had driven from her Lalor Park home because she was ‘going for a ride’ .
A review of the navigation application on Ms Namoce’s phone further revealed that she had visited multiple addresses in central Sydney, including properties in Zetland, Gladesville, Balmain, Paddington and Glebe.
Ms Namoce played seven games with the Parramatta Eels in 2024 and represented her native Fiji in international rugby. She is expected to appear in the same court next month for sentencing.