Drug routes shifting closer to Fiji, maritime expert warns

Maritime security consultant John Fox has warned that Fiji’s maritime borders face increasing risks as drug routes shift closer to the country.

Speaking at the 27th Attorney-General’s Conference at the Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort in Denarau last Saturday, Mr Fox said Fiji’s geographical position places it directly in the path of major transnational criminal activity, particularly drug trafficking and other maritime-enabled crimes.

“There is a clear and increasing trend in the volume of drugs moving through our region,” he said. “Fiji’s location makes it a natural hub along these routes, especially when traffickers attempt to avoid enforcement pressure in other parts of the Pacific.”

Mr Fox said global enforcement changes, including stronger United States crackdowns in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, are pushing traffickers away from traditional corridors and bringing them closer to Fiji’s waters.

He said gaps in coordination and real-time information-sharing between agencies remain one of Fiji’s biggest internal weaknesses.

Enablers in communities

“The tendency for agencies to hold onto information until the last minute is one of our greatest obstacles, and we cannot respond effectively if data is not shared in real time,” he said.

Mr Fox also raised concerns about the role of enablers, people within communities who are used by traffickers seeking fast cash.

“Addressing these enablers is just as important as intercepting the drugs themselves.”

On illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, he said offshore illegal fishing by foreign vessels was relatively low, but inshore illegal fishing by locals remained a major concern, alongside the use of fishing vessels for other crimes.

Mr Fox said a Maritime Surveillance Centre had been established in Lami, but remained a work in progress and required further strengthening.

He said Fiji cannot tackle maritime crime alone.

“With our limited resources, we need a whole-of-government approach and the support of our regional partners,” he said.

Mr Fox urged urgency in strengthening laws, improving operational capability and closing inter-agency gaps to protect Fiji’s maritime domain.