Cruisers heading for countries in the South West Pacific this cruising season are being advised to make sure they follow all the correct procedures and guidelines for entering a country to ensure their security and safety, in the face of escalating drug trafficking in the region.

Published 1 month ago

Increased Drug Trafficking Across the South Pacific

A search of the Internet finds many current stories from media in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji about the escalating drug crisis in Fiji and increased drug trafficking across the South Pacific involving drugs such as “Meth” or “P” and Cocaine.

In late January 2024, Fijian authorities raided a vacant house under construction in the tourist down of Nadi, seizing about 800 medium-sized containers wrapped in brown tape, which contained meth, locally known as “ice”, with a street value of F$2 billion.

In September 2024, Australia’s ABC news reported that drug cartels from Mexico and the Americas, were targeting the isolated island ports of Fiji — and neighbouring island countries Samoa and Tonga — to import huge amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine.

Late last year Noonsite published a report from a cruising couple who had experienced what they labelled as an intrusive customs search while in Fijian waters .

In November 2024 Viki Moore, Director of Island Cruising NZ and DownUnder Rally, was invited to attend the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime conference in Brisbane, Australia along with the Heads of the Police Maritime Units in the Pacific

Since that conference, Viki has been working with officials from Customs, Police, Navy and Fisheries in Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Nauru, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Vanuatu, French Polynesia and the Oceania Customs Organisation, to update them on the Pacific Rally and other recreational vessel movements throughout the Pacific this season.

“I would really like to assure people that they don’t have anything to worry about if they follow the rules,” Viki said.  “I hope that officials now have a much better idea of what yachtsmen and women are doing as they are cruising around, after my presentations.

“Sadly, many places in the South Pacific have been negatively impacted by drugs which are suspected to be trafficked throughout the Pacific on small craft and the local authorities are cracking down.  Countries particularly affected include Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

“We recommend that you keep your AIS turned on at all times when cruising from country to country, ensure you have completed and submitted the correct paperwork in advance of your arrival. Do NOT stop in any other islands (such as Fiji’s Lau group) before you have cleared into the country, ensure you understand and obey local laws and cultural protocols, and report any suspicious objects or behaviour to local authorities.

“If any cruisers need support while cruising the South Pacific this season, check out the Pacific Rally and please do not hesitate to contact me.”

Growing Concern Among Cruising Community

Several cruisers with extensive experience cruising Fijian waters contacted Noonsite after reading about SV Cream Puff’s experience to express their growing concerns for visiting yachts.

One cruiser, whose name has been withheld by request, told Noonsite; “Currently, Fiji is facing its biggest domestic challenge which is the drug “Meth” or “P” which is destroying their way of life at all levels of society. The drugs are being dumped in packages close to shore and unfortunately we cannot yet see this situation improving, as Fiji and the majority of other small Pacific Islands have little resources of their own to deal with the situation. Friends that cruised Fiji last year tended to stay away from the main centres as much as possible, focusing on either tourist supported spots or remote regions of Fiji. Some had no issues, but the official trend is a heightened awareness of cruising yachts as a possible conduit of ‘Meth’ and other drugs.”

Guidelines for Cruisers

Cynthia Rasch, Chief Executive Officer of the Port Denarau Marina  in Fiji, acknowledged that recent reports had raised concerns among cruisers about drug-related issues in Fiji and the subsequent customs searches on visiting yachts.

“I have attached an advisory on this regard. To ensure a harmonious experience, we recommend the following guidelines for visiting yachts. By following these guidelines, visiting yachts can help ensure a pleasant and compliant stay in Fiji. We are committed to assisting our visitors and are available to address any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out,” Cynthia said.

1. Advance Preparation:

• Documentation: Ensure all vessel and crew documentation is complete and readily accessible.
• Advance Notice: Submit the Advance Notice of Arrival (ANA) form at least 48 hours prior to your expected arrival in Fiji waters.

2.  Upon Arrival:

• Quarantine Protocol: Fly the ‘Q’ flag upon entering Fiji waters and await clearance from Health, Biosecurity, Customs, and Immigration officials before disembarking.

3.  Prohibited Items:

• Controlled Substances: Fiji enforces strict anti-drug laws. Ensure no illegal substances are on board.
• Weapons: Declare all firearms and ammunition upon arrival. These will be secured by authorities for the duration of your stay.

4.  During Your Stay:

• Respect Local Laws: Familiarize yourself with and adhere to Fiji’s customs and regulations.
• Regular Reporting: Provide weekly updates of your location and intended movements to the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service at yachtsreport@frcs.org.fj.

Grace Lee, Marina Administration Manager at Nawi Island Marina near Savusavu, Fiji, said Customs would usually only search the vessels if the owners were acting suspiciously.

“It is mostly city areas like Suva and Nadi that are affected by these white drugs. However, if you are in Savusavu and if anyone approaches you trying to sell something suspicious, do let the Marina office know and we will inform the Local authorities,” Grace sad.

File a Confidential Report or Notify Officials

Viki Moore told Noonsite; “My hope is that if we help direct the limited resources that these Pacific Nations have to protect their huge maritime borders towards the bad guys – by being more observant and diligent about reporting suspicious behaviour and suspicious vessels, then they will be able to focus on those things rather than on doing “random” searches of innocent vessels.

Viki’s advice for anyone heading through the South Pacific that comes across something suspicious while on passage, is that they should file a confidential report to NZ officials or contact officials in the next port of entry as soon as possible or immediately on arrival.

Contact:

Viki Moore – Island Cruising NZ & Down Under Rally.

Cynthia Rasch – Port Denarau Marina

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Related News:

• Fiji Authorities to “Vaporise” Methampetamine seized in Record Drug Bust (Radio New Zealand)
• Inside Fiji’s Meth Crisis – TVNZ
• South Pacific: Drug Trafficking Causes Problems for Yachts
• NZ Man Arrested after Drugs Worth Close to $800M Seized from Yacht
• French Polynesia:  An Anti-Narcotics Exercise

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Related Reports:

• Intrusive Customs Search Causes Concern for Cruisers (Noonsite Dec 2024)

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Related Links:

• Fiji Revenue and Customs Service
• Island Cruising/Pacific Rally/DownUnder Rally
• New Zealand Customs Service – Report Now

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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the contributors and do not reflect the views of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.

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