50 trafficking victims identified, but no convictions: Report

Despite identifying 50 trafficking victims, the Government failed to secure a single conviction against traffickers for the third consecutive year.

This was according to the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report by the United States Department of State, which highlighted shortcomings in Fiji’s efforts to combat human trafficking.

The report found that Fiji had not demonstrated an overall increase in efforts to eliminate trafficking, despite initiating six trafficking investigations and two prosecutions — the first prosecutions since 2023.

It identified persistent weaknesses in law enforcement, victim protection and inter-agency coordination, as well as corruption and alleged official complicity, as factors undermining efforts to combat trafficking.

The report said authorities also failed to investigate trafficking cases proactively, while a lack of dedicated funding and resources restricted the work of the Fiji Police Force’s Human Trafficking Unit (HTU).

“HTU officers were frequently assigned cases unrelated to trafficking, limiting their capacity to focus on trafficking crimes. The unit also lacked the authority to conduct undercover operations,” the report said.

“Insufficient communication and coordination between Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) impaired the Government’s ability to pursue trafficking cases.”

Although the Government reported that prosecutors operated independently of law enforcement investigations, the lack of effective coordination remained a major obstacle.

The report said inadequate support resources weakened prosecutions because prosecutors relied heavily on victim testimony. It added that lengthy judicial proceedings also discouraged victims from cooperating with authorities.

It identified the absence of specialised prosecution mechanisms as a weakness, saying some labour trafficking cases were investigated as labour or immigration violations instead.

The HTU had also failed to complete standard operating procedures for investigating trafficking cases, which it began drafting during an earlier reporting period.

The report raised concerns about the Government’s response to allegations involving the religious organisation Grace Road and its businesses across key sectors.

It said the Government had not taken sufficient law enforcement or victim protection action regarding the organisation, which has faced trafficking allegations over many years.

Suspected domestic trafficking case

A suspected domestic human trafficking case involving three young women is currently before authorities, with the case file sent to the ODPP for legal review on June 6.

Earlier this year, the three women, aged 18, 19 and 20, were under the protection of the Republic of the Fiji Military Forces after they were believed to be victims of suspected human and sex trafficking.

They were moved to a safe house before Police took over the investigation.

Last month, Police confirmed that the case file had been sent to the ODPP for legal review.