[Source: Republic Of Fiji Navy/ Facebook]

A recently launched National Security and Defense Review report has highlighted the increasing drug trade in Fiji, emphasizing the need for enhanced border security and international cooperation.

The report, launched by Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua, reveals that Fiji has become both a transit point and a destination for organized crime.

Criminal syndicates are utilizing the country to transport drugs from Southeast Asia and South America to Australia and New Zealand.

It says the high demand for these drugs in these wealthier nations drives the supply.

The report says while local demand in the Pacific was previously lower due to lower incomes, the availability of cheaper drugs, including those mixed with additives like fentanyl, has created new markets in the region, and this has made Fiji particularly vulnerable.

Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua

The report states that to tackle these issues, Fiji needs to improve border security by enhancing customs and immigration processes, investing in better surveillance technology at entry points, and cooperating with neighbouring countries.

The review was led by an independent review lead, James Sanday, with support from an editorial board comprising Professor Satish Chand, Assistant Professor Ana Rokomokoti, and Associate Professor Shailendra Singh.

Editorial Board Chair, Professor Satish Chand, says they want to ensure that the security sector capabilities, in terms of personnel, assets, and infrastructure, are future-ready.

They are strategically prioritized and have a focus on border, maritime, and cyber security. So much of our positioning looks at the past, not at the future, and the risks that emerge on the horizon, so already here, are those of drugs, of cyber, of human trafficking, and these we need to be prepared for.

The NSDR report says criminal syndicates in Fiji are now selling drugs domestically and collecting protection fees.

Reports suggest that getting just 10 percent of their shipments to Australia and New Zealand can yield significant profits, allowing them to absorb losses on the remaining stock.

There are also concerns about the independence of the Department of Immigration, with reports of requests to fast-track visa processing without following proper procedures.

It says a lack of information sharing among government agencies and with regional and international partners hinders effective border security.

The report says that another serious issue is the risk of weapons and ammunition trafficking into Fiji.

It says officials who are familiar with drug smuggling and human trafficking point out that international criminal syndicates often smuggle weapons alongside drugs to protect their operations.