PM Rabuka warns drug traffickers

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has sent a stern warning to drug traffickers and illegal fishers exploiting Fiji waters.

“Our message to the traffickers and illegal fishers that seek to exploit Fiji is that we are watching you and will come out and get you,” Mr Rabuka said at the opening of the Vuvale Maritime Essential Services Centre in Lami yesterday.

The Prime Minister said the new facility will lead Fiji’s fight against illegal activities in its maritime domain through the Maritime Domain Fusion Centre.

The fusion centre has the Fiji Navy, Fiji Police Force, Fisheries, Customs and Revenue, and international partners working together in monitoring and responding to threats.

Mr Rabuka said maritime security has been identified as a key strategic priority under the Fiji National Security Strategy.

“We recognise that the threats that we face, from illegal fishing, transnational organised crime, including narcotics trafficking, to climate-induced disasters, demand a strategic approach and coordinated response,” he said.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly last week, Mr Rabuka highlighted the need for small island states to address transnational crime and drug trafficking.

He said Fiji needs cooperation from countries where illegal activities originate.

“We would like to have cooperation between our maritime agencies and customs - particularly those suspected of originating the movement of tradable bad things,” Mr Rabuka said.

The centre will serve as a hub for regional coordination, supporting combined operations and information sharing with Pacific neighbours and international partners.

Mr Rabuka said Fiji will launch its first maritime security strategy in the coming months, which will align with the national security strategy.

Fiji’s exclusive economic zone covers over 1.3 million square kilometres, with search and rescue responsibilities spanning 6.5 million square kilometres across territories including Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna, Tokelau and Kiribati.