Methamphetamine and cocaine have recently been discovered smuggled into Pacific nations, hidden in audio speakers and instant noodle packets. Fiji police have intercepted drugs and controlled steroids concealed in consumable goods like coffee.
This information was presented in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report titled “Transnational Organised Crime in the Pacific: Expansion, Challenges and Impact,” which was unveiled in Suva yesterday. The report highlights the innovative tactics employed by smugglers to infiltrate the region, particularly emphasizing that Fiji and Papua New Guinea have become prime targets for these illegal activities.
Furthermore, the report indicates that the Air Cargo Control Unit at Nadi International Airport has detected smaller shipments of drugs in mail and parcels. Between February 2021 and September 2023, eleven out of sixteen drug seizures involved methamphetamine, with amounts varying from 200 grams to 5 kilograms. The meth shipments reportedly originated from countries including the United States, Canada, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Kenya.
The report also discusses several small criminal networks situated outside Fiji that play a role in facilitating drug shipments, particularly involving Fijians living abroad. It notes that in Fiji, drug drop-offs at sea are often conducted via vessels on rafts equipped with locating devices.
Additionally, the report mentions that several Pacific countries have experienced drug “washups,” which are the results of unsuccessful drop-off attempts. While no illicit drugs have been seized from rafts in the Pacific to date, rafts indicative of drug shipments have been found in Fiji.
The UNODC report warns that the proliferation of a regional drug market poses risks not only to security and governance in the Pacific but also has severe health and social consequences. It recognizes the efforts of policymakers to address this escalating drug issue but stresses the need for authorities to remain vigilant and adaptable to evolving trafficking routes and smuggling methods employed by organized crime.
As enforcement efforts intensify in one area, traffickers may resort to alternative routes across different jurisdictions in the Pacific, according to the report.