UNIQLO, the Japanese clothing chain, said it will open its first Hawaii store in Ala Moana Center this fall.

The approximately 17,300-square-foot store will be in the Ewa end of the mall on the second and third floors.

The company said it will introduce its products to the market via a pop-up store in June.

A UNIQLO spokeswoman said the company plans to employ about 200 people for both the store and the chain’s local headquarters.

HAWAII ISLAND

Missing cocaine leads police to employee of department

The Hawaii Police Department said it has placed an employee on administrative leave without pay after discovering that cocaine recovered as evidence was lighter than reported during its initial recovery.

The cocaine, acquired as evidence in 2014, was found to be lighter in October 2017, prompting both criminal and administrative investigations. The discrepancy was discovered when the evidence was being weighed in preparation for training.

Investigators quickly identified a sworn employee, who subsequently retired and is no longer employed by Hawaii County, as a person of interest for the missing portions of the drug. Subsequent audits of other evidence recovered by the officer revealed other anomalies, including cases of weight discrepancies in hashish, or marijuana concentrate, from two separate investigations.

The Hawaii Police Department said it has tightened up procedures in order to ensure a similar scenario will not recur, and also has conducted additional audits to ensure these incidents were not perpetrated by anyone else. The case was formally referred to the prosecutor’s office March 2.