Cartels infiltrating institutions in Fiji, Pacific says expert

Drug cartels have adapted their tools to work better in Fiji, says transnational crime expert Jose Sousa-Santos.   

“The tactics that we see in Southeast Asia, the tactics that we see in South America, the tactics that are not new, what we’re seeing is that they’ve been contextualised for the Pacific landscape, for the Fijian landscape,” he said.   

Mr Sousa-Santos, an Associate Professor at the Pacific Regional Security Hub at the University of Canterbury, said cartels understood our culture, how to corrupt and weaken churches, judicial power structures, how to infiltrate law enforcement and how to ensure that Governments were not effective.   

“All this facilitates their operations and almost makes it impossible for law enforcement to be able to stop the movement of drugs and their activities in Fiji itself.”   

In a joint operation, the Fiji Police Force and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces have agreed to support each other in areas where the Police need assistance, through the exchange of intelligence.   

Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu indicated that the military was already assisting Police in domestic operations.   

RFMF’s Lieutenant Colonel Esira Kulavati emphasized the need for legislations that allows the joint operation to work smoothly.   

“That is a decisive condition for the military. You know, you have an organisation that is paid by Government, has got resources available, but and then it’s limited by law to be utilised,” he said.   

“That is where this political will need to come in. Understand the gravity of the situation that Fiji is in right now and do something about it.”   

The RFMF can support the Police and the Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority Under the Illicit Drug Act 2004 by sending military personnel to assist both organisations   

Lieutenant Colonel Kulaveti warns that without Cabinet endorsement and legislations passed by Parliament that empowers the joint operation, then Fiji could become a semi-narco State in five years.   

“...what is going to happen is that our ability to exercise autonomy in sovereign matters won’t be there.  

“...[cartels] will be the ones that are dictating things because they have infiltrated all the institutions that constitute the state. The indicators are there.”