The challenge of overseeing Fiji’s extensive maritime borders is heightened by the country’s inadequate vessel tracking regulations, which increases the risk of Fiji being exploited as a transit point for drug and human trafficking. Currently, boats, including yachts, can navigate Fiji’s borders without detection by local law enforcement. It is not compulsory for vessels to have an automatic identification system (AIS) on board, a tracking tool that was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist in monitoring vessel movements within Fiji’s maritime territories.
Approximately 700 to 800 yachts visit Fiji annually, and the frequent movement of these crafts within the nation’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) coupled with limited resources for consistently monitoring thousands of kilometers of ocean presents significant challenges to national border security.
The recent seizure of drugs in Nadi exemplifies how organized crime groups can take advantage of Fiji’s resource constraints to utilize the country’s marinas and ports for transporting massive amounts of methamphetamine valued in the billions of dollars. Earlier this year, 4.15 tonnes of meth, which originated overseas, were found in Nadi after being transported from a yacht that docked in Yasawa waters and was later taken to a marina by a hired barge.
In the past five years, the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) reported 47 instances of illicit drugs being detected at the border. Commodore Humphrey Tawake, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Naval Division, emphasized that the perception of scattered island groups as high-risk areas for drug trafficking is misleading. He noted, “We say the whole of Fiji is all equal and the same. These criminals operate as a commercial business.”
As investigations into the methamphetamine issue in Fiji continue, the risks related to maritime borders and the role of local authorities in monitoring visiting yachts are being scrutinized.
Yachting in Fiji has long been associated with the smuggling of prohibited goods. In 2018, authorities recovered over US$10 million (FJ$22 million) worth of cocaine and ecstasy from an Australian couple’s yacht at Port Denarau, raising alarm due to its suspicious route from the United States, passing through South America and French Polynesia. Additionally, bricks of cocaine washed ashore in the Lau Group during the same year.
Kalesi Volatabu, founder of Drug Free World Fiji, reported that some yachts exploit local communities, particularly in the outer islands. In a case reported last year, girls were said to have been trafficked between islands. The increased presence of vessels operating outside the standard yachting season, from May to October, has also raised concerns.
Commodore Tawake mentioned that any foreign vessel in Fiji waters can be searched at any time. Some sailors, wanting to remain unnamed, reported that border security officials have conducted extensive searches on numerous boats, both newly arrived and those that had been present for a week. These searches are said to be routine, yet they have sparked criticism regarding their intrusiveness.
Port Denarau Marina’s CEO, Cynthia Rasch, acknowledged that these searches have intensified and can occasionally be disruptive. Such was the case recently in Savusavu, where sailors felt the searches were invasive and damaging to their property.
Alongside random checks, the FRCS mandates that foreign vessels notify them prior to arrival and must go through a designated Port of Entry for clearance. Visitors must complete a detailed C2-C form, outlining their onboard supplies, crew details, and intended duration of stay.
In addition, marinas play a vital role in reporting suspicious activities, with joint maritime patrols conducted by various security agencies. The FRCS has implemented a Coastal Watch Programme, working closely with local communities to monitor and report illegal activities.
Commodore Tawake suggested that law enforcement, including the Navy, needs to be more active in these communities to encourage the reporting of any unusual activities.