Fiji's Location Ideal For Criminal Activities

Criminals are always looking for opportunities to evolve their activities in a manner that is hard to detect, says the Operations Manager for Oceania Customs Organisation Secretariat (OCO).

Irma Daphney Stone was responding questions on an earlier Shine a Light article on the impact of hard drugs in Fiji.

“The geographical location of the Pacific Islands places us as neighbours with Australia and New Zealand, so it is obvious that criminals will find means and ways, crossing borders to conduct their illegal activities,” she said.

“The sharing of information regionally helps members identify what is occurring in other Pacific nations and allows customs officers to look for similar traits in their own nations.”

Ms Stone said they received support from regional organisations OCO to help create a safer and more secure Pacific.

“We are also supported by the Pacific Transnational Crime Center in Samoa to ensure the right information is disseminated into the transnational crime units in the region and eventually to customs administrations in a timely manner, which then allows for enforcement action to evolve.”

Feedback: ivamere.nataro@fijisun.com.fj