Methamphetamine and cocaine smuggled into Pacific nations have been discovered hidden within audio speakers and instant noodle bags. In Fiji, police have intercepted concealed drugs and controlled steroids, with some being found in coffee products.
This information was revealed in a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), titled “Transnational Organised Crime in the Pacific: Expansion, Challenges and Impact,” which was launched in Suva recently. The report details the inventive methods employed by smugglers to infiltrate the region, particularly highlighting the vulnerability of cargo routes in Fiji and Papua New Guinea to these illegal operations.
Additionally, it reported that the Air Cargo Control Unit at Nadi International Airport has confiscated smaller drug shipments in mail and parcels. Among the 16 seizures recorded from February 2021 to September 2023, eleven involved methamphetamine, with amounts varying from 200 grams to 5 kilograms. These packages came from countries including the United States, Canada, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Kenya.
The report also noted the existence of several small criminal networks based outside Fiji that assist in transporting these drugs, particularly Fiji nationals residing abroad. It mentioned that in Fiji, drug drop-offs at sea are often executed by vessels using rafts equipped with locating devices, with several drugs washing up on shores in Pacific nations due to failed drop-off attempts. However, no rafts carrying illicit drugs have been seized in the Pacific so far, though some have been found in Fiji.
The UNODC report cautioned that the emergence of a regional drug market poses serious threats to the security and governance of Pacific nations and has detrimental health and social consequences. It acknowledged the efforts made by policymakers to tackle the escalating drug issue but emphasized the necessity for authorities to be proactive in adapting to evolving trafficking routes and methods used by organized crime. As law enforcement enhances drug interdiction efforts in one area, traffickers may adapt by utilizing alternative routes throughout the Pacific region.