Pacific fights back as drug seizures hit 17 tonnes

Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu says the Pacific is “fighting back” against transnational organised crime as Fiji and the Australian Federal Police launched a major Pacific Transnational Crime Summit aimed at dismantling drug syndicates targeting the region.

The summit, which opened yesterday, comes amid a dramatic surge in drug trafficking across the Pacific, with 17 tonnes of illicit drugs — mostly cocaine — seized since January.

The Fiji Police Force and AFP are hosting the summit alongside Pacific police chiefs and international law enforcement agencies to develop new strategies targeting organised criminal networks operating across the region.

Commissioner Tudravu said the summit reflected the Pacific’s urgent call for action against transnational crime.

“The way forward is genuine collaboration, that is realistic and achievable for Pacific law enforcement. We have our obvious challenges, and the summit is an opportunity to strengthen regional collaboration and address challenges collectively,” Commissioner Tudravu said.

“The Pacific is fighting back. The strategies must therefore be Pacific-led, supported by enhanced coordination between national and regional institutions, focusing on harm and supply reduction, as the impacts of the transnational organised crime are multi-dimensional requiring holistic regional responses.”

AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett warned that international drug cartels were increasingly targeting the Pacific as both a transit route and emerging market.

“Australia’s insatiable appetite for illegal drugs, and the high price the Australian public pays to consume these really dangerous substances, is putting significant pressure on our Pacific family,” Commissioner Barrett said.

“While most of these drugs are still trafficked to Australia, we are now seeing instances of organised crime sending illicit commodities directly to the Pacific to find another market.”

The summit, running from May 18 to 21, brings together Pacific police leaders, Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group representatives and international agencies to coordinate regional responses.

More than 14 police leaders from countries including Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands, New Zealand, Colombia and Mexico are participating.

The AFP, New Zealand Police, Australian Border Force and New Zealand Customs also announced funding for an International Joint Investigations Team with the Colombian National Police aimed at stopping illicit drug shipments entering the Pacific.

Commissioner Barrett said the conference aimed to strengthen intelligence-sharing and operational cooperation across the region.

“The intent of the conference is to strengthen ties with law enforcement partners and to share information about the strategic challenges and find tangible solutions to threats,” she said.

“The best solutions for the Pacific come from Pacific leaders and we will work together to keep our region safe.”

The summit is also expected to announce several new regional initiatives, including a Pacific-wide public campaign encouraging island communities to report suspicious maritime activity to authorities for intelligence gathering.