Transnational Organized Crime in the Pacific: Expansion, Challenges and Impact (TOCTA_Pacific_2024)
Prepared by the researche : Aml Anwer Mohammed – Political researcher- EGYPT
Democratic Arabic Center
Journal of extremism and armed groups : Seventeenth Issue – November 2024
A Periodical International Journal published by the “Democratic Arab Center” Germany – Berlin
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- Introduction
The Pacific region faces an evolving threat from transnational organized crime (TOC), particularly in drug trafficking, human trafficking, environmental exploitation, and cybercrime. Criminal groups exploit vulnerabilities such as geographic isolation, limited economic opportunities, and governance challenges to expand operations in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). This review highlights the impacts of organized crime on Pacific communities and suggests responses.
- Key Drivers of Organized Crime in the Pacific
Transnational organized crime (TOC) has proliferated across the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), fueled by geographic isolation, limited resources, economic instability and corruption. The Pacific region is vulnerable due to vast maritime borders that facilitate the trafficking of illicit goods. Organized crime groups, including Asian syndicates and Latin American cartels, exploit these factors to establish drug routes and operate in sectors such as fisheries and logging, utilizing the Pacific as both a transit route and a burgeoning local market. Additionally, challenges like weak governance, corruption, and inadequate law enforcement further enable criminal networks to flourish.
- Drug Trafficking
The Pacific serves as both a transit route and, increasingly, a destination for drugs. Key players include drug cartels from the Americas and organized motorcycle gangs from Australia and New Zealand, with increased involvement from Asian criminal networks. Major seizures, such as the record 4.8 tons of methamphetamine in Fiji, underscore the scale of trafficking operations. High drug prices in Australia and New Zealand incentivize continued trafficking through Pacific nations.
Drug trafficking, especially of methamphetamine and cocaine, is a major threat to the Pacific, driven by the high value of drugs in markets like Australia and New Zealand. Methamphetamine constitutes approximately 95% of drug-related cases in the region, with substantial seizures highlighting the scale of trafficking through Fiji and other transit points. These operations are often supported by organized crime groups from Latin America, Australia, and Asia, leveraging commercial networks and corrupt officials to facilitate import and export. Emerging markets within the Pacific for methamphetamine suggest increasing domestic demand, exacerbating the challenge for local law enforcement.
- Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants
Human trafficking and migrant smuggling are also prevalent, with victims subjected to forced labor and sexual exploitation, often in the fishing, hospitality, and agricultural sectors. Women and children are particularly vulnerable, and criminal networks use visa-free policies to facilitate illicit migration and smuggling activities. Some criminal groups have exploited Pacific nations’ workforce needs, bringing workers from Asia under false pretenses and subjecting them to exploitative conditions.
Organized crime groups use PICTs as transit points, capitalizing on economic vulnerabilities. Cases of Marshallese nationals being smuggled into the United States and Fiji’s involvement in forced labor highlight the complex dynamics of trafficking, although data on the full scope of trafficking remains limited due to underreporting and lack of detection.
- Environmental Crimes
The Pacific’s rich biodiversity is under threat from illegal fishing, logging, and wildlife trafficking, which contribute to ecological degradation and economic instability. PICTs, particularly Papua New Guinea, face significant losses due to illegal fishing, estimated at $333.5 million annually. High-demand wildlife products, like sea cucumbers, are trafficked from the Pacific to East Asian markets, while foreign criminal networks take advantage of lax enforcement to exploit timber resources.
Environmental crimes pose a substantial risk to the Pacific’s ecosystems, local communities, and economies. Illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, illegal fishing, and waste crimes are pervasive, largely due to regulatory loopholes and corruption. Key activities include:
- Illegal Logging and Wildlife Trafficking: Organized crime syndicates exploit weak enforcement frameworks, particularly in timber and wildlife trade. Illegal logging depletes forests, while wildlife trafficking threatens biodiversity and contributes to ecosystem imbalances.
- Illegal Fishing: Unreported and unregulated fishing is a major issue, with foreign fleets exploiting Pacific waters for high-demand fish species, leading to significant economic losses and marine ecosystem degradation.
- Pollution and Waste Crimes: The improper disposal of plastic waste, particularly from foreign sources, burdens small island nations that lack infrastructure to handle such volumes. Additionally, there are rising concerns about deep-sea mining’s environmental impacts on fragile marine ecosystems.
The impacts of these environmental crimes extend beyond the ecological sphere, affecting the socio-economic stability of local communities dependent on natural resources for livelihoods and cultural practices.
- Money Laundering
Weak anti-money laundering (AML) systems, inadequate regulations, and offshore financial services make the region an attractive destination for laundering illicit funds. Emerging online mobile payments and internet banking add complexity to the region’s AML challenges. Criminal organizations use cash transactions and offshore accounts to hide proceeds, while a lack of investigative resources limits enforcement.
Money laundering presents a significant risk in the Pacific, with illicit funds flowing through sectors like banking, casinos, and logging. Offshore financial services, minimal beneficial ownership requirements, and cash-based economies create an environment conducive to money laundering. Most PICTs lack robust anti-money laundering (AML) frameworks and resources, which limits their ability to investigate and prosecute such crimes. Criminal networks exploit this regulatory weakness to facilitate the laundering of proceeds from drug trafficking, human trafficking, and environmental crimes. Despite growing awareness, the necessary preconditions for effective AML enforcement, such as adequate training and technical capacity, remain underdeveloped across the region.
- Cybercrime
The rapid increase in internet connectivity has exposed Pacific nations to cybercrime. Recent attacks, including ransomware and denial-of-service attacks, have targeted government systems in Fiji, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea. Cyber-enabled scams, frequently operated by foreign syndicates, leverage low cybersecurity awareness and exploit vulnerabilities in financial and public sector systems.
Cybercrime in the Pacific is an emerging threat, driven by increased internet connection and smartphone adoption. While countries like Fiji, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea have developed basic cybercrime laws, significant legislative and infrastructure gaps remain across the region. The most common cyber-enabled crimes include fraud, cyber extortion, and cyberstalking, often facilitated through social media platforms. Recent incidents, such as ransomware attacks on government systems in Fiji and Vanuatu, underline the region’s vulnerability and lack of resilience in cybersecurity. Furthermore, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology are posing new risks, as regulatory capabilities are often insufficient to monitor and prevent financial crimes related to these technologies.
- Recommendations
To counter these threats, the report outlines a series of recommendations for PICTs:
- Implement Strategic Action Plans: Building frameworks like the Boe Declaration and the Pacific Regional Transnational Organized Crime Disruption Strategy, PICTs should focus on converting policy goals into actionable strategies to address TOC.
- Invest in Data Collection and Analysis: Establishing centralized data collection agencies within PICTs can enhance understanding of TOC trends, enabling more precise and informed responses.
- Strengthen Maritime and Aerial Security: Given the significance of Pacific ports and air routes, PICTs should prioritize upgrading screening technologies and enhancing surveillance capacities for both maritime and aerial domains.
- Build Community Resilience: Increasing awareness and community-based crime prevention efforts can mitigate the influence of organized crime in remote areas. This approach should be paired with stronger law enforcement in isolated regions.
- Enhance Inter-Regional and International Cooperation: Partnerships with regional networks and international agencies can facilitate information sharing, capacity building, and joint operations to tackle TOC.
These recommendations aim to strengthen the Pacific’s defenses against TOC while fostering interagency and cross-border collaboration.
