Pacific Police Chiefs have pledged stronger regional cooperation to combat organised crime, illicit drugs and corruption following the first Pacific Transnational Crime Summit held in Fiji last week.
The summit, co-hosted by the Fiji Police Force and the Australian Federal Police from 18-22 May, brought together law enforcement agencies from across the Pacific and international partners under the theme “Connected by Ocean, United in the Fight”.
A joint communique released by Fiji Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu and AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett outlined a series of commitments aimed at strengthening Pacific-led policing cooperation against transnational organised crime.
Police Chiefs acknowledged “the unique challenges the Pacific region faces in targeting the enablers of transnational organised crime, including corruption, technology and violence.”
They also recommitted to the Pacific Transnational Crime Network framework and commissioned a review of its terms of reference, including maritime domain awareness.
The summit welcomed a recommendation from Pacific Police Ministers for the development of “an intelligence-led mechanism for coordinated maritime interdictions of illicit drugs” to improve information sharing between the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre and the Maritime Essential Services Centre.
The proposal will be considered by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in Palau during the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting starting 30 August.
Police Chiefs also backed the establishment of the International Joint Investigations Team involving Australian and New Zealand law enforcement agencies and the Colombian National Police to help disrupt illicit drug shipments into the Pacific.
The communique also welcomed the launch of the Pacific Fintel Alliance Public-Private Partnership to strengthen the financial sector against criminal exploitation and support investigations into organised crime and national security threats.
An online reporting platform called Pacific Watch was also endorsed to allow members of the public to report transnational crime safely and anonymously.
Commissioner Tudravu said the summit highlighted the need for stronger collaboration across the region.
“The commonalities faced in the fight against transnational crime, while varying in scale, require collaboration across regional and international law enforcement, and this was evident throughout the summit,” Commissioner Tudravu said.
“With the backing of our Police Ministers, the onus is on us as Police Chiefs to ensure tangible outcomes that can be felt throughout our Pacific communities. We cannot afford to allow the summit to be just another meeting. Our people demand action, and we vow to reflect this through enhanced collaboration, sending a strong collective warning that the Pacific is fighting back.”
Commissioner Barrett said Pacific leaders recognised the growing threat illicit drugs posed to the region.
“Pacific Island Police Chiefs have watched from afar the impacts of illicit drugs on Australia and now they fear the diabolical reality facing their communities,” Commissioner Barrett said.
“Together, as heads of Pacific Police, we need to target the cartels and organised criminals who are trafficking the poison affecting our communities and our kids.
“Our communities are relying on our collective action to keep them safe. It takes our connected network of Pacific Chiefs and Commissioners to break the organised crime networks targeting our communities,” she said.
