Transnational Organized Crime in the Pacific: Expansion, Challenges and Impact

Pacific island nations are at the heart of illegal smuggling routes and face a range of cross-border crime threats.

Suva (Fiji), October 11, 2024 – The Pacific is increasingly becoming a major transshipment hub and operational and destination point for organized crime syndicates, according to a new report launched today by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Titled Transnational Organized Crime in the Pacific: Expansion, Challenges and Impact, The report provides a detailed analysis of the rapidly evolving organized crime landscape and its related factors. It highlights how foreign criminal groups take advantage of the region’s geographic isolation, infiltrating legitimate businesses and using new technologies to further their illegal activities while evading law enforcement.

“Transnational organized crime has become a significant security threat in the Pacific, raising serious concerns for the region and its people,” said Baron Waqa, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), at the launch in Suva, bringing together senior government officials from Fiji, representatives of neighboring countries and international partners.

“PIFS welcomes this crucial report as it sheds light on the nature of the challenges we face and helps shape our collective regional response,” Waqa added.

Exploiting less monitored waters

UNODC

Identified cocaine smuggling routes impacting the Pacific.

The report shows that foreign crime syndicates, mainly from Asia and the Americas, are exploiting the strategic location of the Pacific Ocean to traffic illegal drugs and other contraband. The region’s isolation, once considered a barrier, now provides opportunities for these groups to operate in less controlled waters, facilitating large-scale shipments via ship-to-ship transfers.

The UNODC research also highlights the alarming rise in methamphetamine use in several Pacific countries, particularly Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga, posing significant public health risks.

“The increasing use of methamphetamine is alarming but not entirely unexpected, given the increasing illicit drug trade along major trade routes,” said Matthew David Watson, UNODC’s Chief Advisor in the Pacific on Transnational Organized Crime.

Fiji Police Force

Drug seizures by Fijian police.

“We are also seeing a worrying trend where organized crime groups are masquerading as legitimate businesses in key sectors such as hospitality and pharmaceuticals, using technological innovations to conceal their activities. This complicates law enforcement efforts in the Pacific and impacts major markets in Australia and New Zealand.”

Benedikt Hofmann, Deputy Regional Representative of the UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, noted: “Transnational organized crime not only threatens governance and stability in the Pacific, but also threatens biodiversity, natural resources and the livelihoods of local communities at risk. It is critical that we strengthen regional cooperation to mitigate these threats and protect the future of the Pacific.”

The report calls for better regional cooperation and coordination among Pacific island states and territories, noting that limited resources and capabilities make it difficult for these countries to tackle transnational crime alone.

“Tackling the growing threat of organized crime requires a coordinated regional approach and stronger international partnerships. Small island states cannot meet these challenges alone with their limited capacity,” said Hofmann.

Click here to go to the report.

Click here for more information about UNODC’s work in the Pacific.