Prime Minister and Minister for Police, Lord Fakafanua, has warned that Pacific Island nations are increasingly becoming destination countries for illicit drugs and transnational crime.

Speaking at the Pacific Transnational Crime Summit in Fiji, Lord Fakafanua said while Tonga is a small island state, it is also a “large ocean state” sharing common vulnerabilities with the wider Pacific region in confronting organised crime.

He said Pacific countries are facing growing threats including illicit drugs, money laundering, human trafficking and cyber-enabled crime, adding that the region must strengthen collective responses to emerging security risks.

Fakafanua cautioned that Pacific nations were no longer only transit points for drugs moving through the region but are now increasingly becoming destination markets.

Addressing delegates, he outlined Tonga’s national response framework to illicit drugs, which is based on three pillars — reducing supply, reducing demand and minimising harm.

He said Tonga maintained some of the toughest penalties in the world for drug use and supply, noting that in 2018, King Tupou VI declared illicit drugs one of the greatest threats to the Kingdom.

Fakafanua also highlighted ongoing legislative reforms, including a new Money Laundering Act aimed at strengthening financial investigations and targeting criminal proceeds.

He said Tonga was investing in improved intelligence and policing capability, including upgraded databases, analytical software, maritime awareness systems, automated fingerprinting technology and enhanced detection equipment.

The prime minister stressed the need for stronger regional coordination through mechanisms such as the Pacific Transnational Crime Network, the Pacific Fusion Centre and regional policing partnerships, saying collective action is critical to addressing transnational threats across the Pacific.

Source: Pacnews/Islands Business