Fiji’s geographical location, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, positions it as a significant transit point for international drug cartels aiming to smuggle illegal drugs into Australia and New Zealand. These cartels have developed extensive networks across the Pacific, particularly in Fiji and Tonga.
Law enforcement officials and experts warn that the local and international drug syndicates pose a growing threat, as their strategies and influence are likely to expand amidst increasing crackdowns by authorities on illegal drug trade. Furthermore, Fiji has evolved beyond merely serving as a transshipment hub; locals have begun producing methamphetamine, referred to as meth or ice, for rapid profit.
Police operations have uncovered meth production sites, confiscating equipment used for synthesis. Certain areas in Fiji are recognized as hotspots for meth use. In a notable operation in July, authorities intercepted a shipment of drug-making apparatus arriving from Canada at a warehouse in Nadi. Currently, two criminal syndicates in Fiji are known to produce meth locally, while another solely imports drugs from abroad.
The presence of two established cartels in Fiji for over a decade raises questions about their resilience. Transnational crime expert Jose Sousa-Santos suggests that individuals in positions of power, including those within government and law enforcement, might be complicit in facilitating drug trafficking, which has detrimental effects on local communities.
This article continues the exploration of Fiji’s meth problem, detailing the transshipment of substantial meth quantities, its local distribution and use, and the players involved. It also recounts how 4.15 tons of meth seized in Nadi were transported to Viti Levu.
The Pacific serves as a crucial conduit for drugs trafficked from South America and Southeast Asia destined for Australian and New Zealand markets. Syndicates in Southeast Asia transport meth through the Pacific, often favoring Fiji due to its strategic position and sizable economy. Other drugs, such as cocaine from South America, follow different routes, entering Fiji before reaching their final destinations.
Experts emphasize the importance of vigilance from Fiji’s Revenue and Customs Authority in detecting drugs that are concealed within legitimate goods for export.
Established networks among cartels allow for smuggling significant drug quantities to Australia and New Zealand with minimal detection. Traffickers often use yachts and smaller vessels strategically operating outside of Fiji’s exclusive economic zone to evade local surveillance. Once drugs reach Fiji, local operatives, including sex workers and opportunistic criminals, assist larger syndicates in managing the distribution and sale of narcotics.
Recent drug raids in Nadi reveal the complexity of the illicit drug scene in Fiji. In December, authorities intercepted a significant shipment of meth, which involved meticulous planning and coordination among various operatives over the course of several weeks. Their sophisticated methods included using GPS and satellite communications to navigate drug shipments from a superyacht positioned outside Fiji’s waters.
The investigation showed that the drugs reached Nadi via a hired barge after multiple failed attempts. Once in Nadi, the illicit substances were transferred into local networks, where they were repackaged and hidden in various locations, including residential properties.
In a separate trip, associates of the syndicate continued to manage the logistics involved with the drugs, including utilizing hotel accommodations to support the operation. The complexity of the local networks, made up of businesspeople and operatives in Nadi, underscores how entangled and difficult to dismantle the drug trafficking operations are.
Mr. Sousa-Santos noted that operations led to the arrest of mid-tier operatives, while those who orchestrate and control such large-scale drug movements remain uncharged, indicating a significant gap in the enforcement efforts against higher-level players.
This article is part of a series supported by Internews Transparent Pacific.