FIJI has warned that the Pacific is shifting from a transit zone to a destination for illicit drugs, as customs leaders from across the region gather in Natadola, Nadi, for a three-day conference focused on border security, trade facilitation and regional cooperation.
Finance, Commerce and Business Development Minister Esrom Yosef Immanuel opened the 28th Oceania Customs Organisation Annual Conference at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, saying the region faces a growing threat from transnational crime that demands a coordinated response.
He said the Pacific can no longer be seen simply as a passageway for drugs, but increasingly as a market, with consequences that could reverberate across generations.
“The Pacific is no longer solely a transit corridor but increasingly a destination,” he said, framing the issue as both a security and development challenge.
Immanuel called for stronger intelligence sharing, closer cooperation between agencies, and more investment in frontline capabilities, saying Pacific governments must modernise their systems if they are to keep pace with criminal networks.
“As host of the OCO Secretariat, remained committed to strengthening regional partnerships and aligning customs work with global standards. Securing borders, he said, was essential not only to protect communities but also to support resilient economies and legitimate trade.”
OCO Chair and Fiji Revenue and Customs Service chief executive Udit Singh echoed that message, saying the Pacific’s maritime and aviation routes place customs administrations at the centre of global trade security.
He pointed to increasingly sophisticated threats, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, customs fraud, illicit financial flows and environmental crime.
Under the conference theme, “Scaling Up the Commitment of Customs to Protect and Grow Our Pasifika Communities,”
Singh said the region needs a stronger and more unified customs voice. That, he argued, will require innovation, technology and deeper technical expertise, alongside the political commitment to work as one.
The conference brings together representatives from 21 customs administrations across the OCO’s 24 members, underscoring broad regional participation.
Organisers say the gathering is intended to help shape a more secure, connected and resilient Pacific at a time when border agencies are under mounting pressure from both criminal networks and the demands of expanding trade.
