Methamphetamine and cocaine smuggled into Pacific nations have been discovered hidden inside audio speakers and instant noodle packets. Fijian police have intercepted these illicit substances as well as controlled steroids concealed in everyday items like coffee.
This information is part of a report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) titled “Transnational Organised Crime in the Pacific: Expansion, Challenges and Impact,” which was presented in Suva recently. The report reveals the innovative tactics employed by traffickers to bring their products into the region, noting that key cargo routes in Fiji and Papua New Guinea are particularly vulnerable to such illegal activities.
Furthermore, it highlights that the Air Cargo Control Unit operating at Nadi International Airport has confiscated smaller shipments of drugs from mail or parcels. Between February 2021 and September 2023, 11 out of 16 drug seizures involved methamphetamine, with quantities ranging from 200 grams to 5 kilograms. The meth shipments were traced back to various countries, including the United States, Canada, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Kenya.
The report points out that several small criminal networks operating outside Fiji play a role in facilitating these drug deliveries, particularly involving Fijian nationals based abroad. It notes, “In Fiji, drop-offs at sea are often conducted by vessels on rafts equipped with locating devices.” Drug washups on certain Pacific islands are attributed to unsuccessful drop-offs, although there have been no confirmed seizures of drugs on rafts in the region; however, rafts found in Fiji suggest drug trafficking activities.
The report also cautions that the emergence of a regional drug market poses risks not only to the security and governance of the Pacific but also has negative health and social consequences. It acknowledges ongoing efforts by policymakers to combat this escalating drug crisis but underscores the need for authorities to anticipate and adapt to evolving trafficking routes and smuggling techniques used by organized crime. As law enforcement intensifies drug interdiction efforts in one area, traffickers may redirect their operations through alternative routes within the Pacific.