Experts Urge Pacific Focus on Meth Trafficking
Security experts say policing and health services must work together as methamphetamine trafficking fuels public health crises across the Pacific.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Drug Crime
Live Poll
Do you trust government policing and health services to protect communities from drug-driven crises?
Three human security experts told the Lowy Institute on Thursday that Pacific lawmakers should put people first as meth trafficking fuels a public health crisis. Fiji declared a national emergency over an HIV outbreak in September, which stemmed from methamphetamine use and sharing.
Why it matters
Methamphetamine is being trafficked to Australia through the Pacific, and the transit of Asian and South American meth through the region has increased substantially. Experts argue that policing alone will not address the health consequences driving the crisis.
An estimated one in 60 Fijians were living with HIV when Fiji declared a national emergency in September, a figure that does not include a stated comparison to prior years. The methodology behind this estimate and its trajectory since the declaration are not detailed in the available extraction.
The players
Lowy Institute
An Australian independent think tank focused on international policy issues, including Pacific regional security.
Australian Federal Police
The national federal law enforcement agency of Australia, responsible for combating transnational crime including drug trafficking.
Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat
The administrative body of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, a regional intergovernmental organization linking Pacific island nations including Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
Dr Anna Naupa
The director of the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat, who spoke on the importance of justice and health coordination.
The details
Methamphetamine use and sharing in Fiji contributed to the HIV epidemic in informal settlements, and traffickers may be paid in methamphetamine, which facilitates its spread. Experts said policing and health services must work together, and that twinning arrangements between justice and health bodies would be important.
Timeline
May: The Australian Federal Police committed to stepping up interdiction of methamphetamine trafficking.
September: Fiji declared a national emergency over its HIV outbreak.
Thursday of publication week: Experts briefed the Lowy Institute on human security in the Pacific.
Regional Trafficking Context
The increase in Asian and South American methamphetamine transiting the Pacific toward Australia has made island nations a central route in the regional drug supply chain. This story links that documented transit trend to a national HIV emergency in Fiji, shifting the framing from interdiction alone to public health response.
Residents in the Pacific and travelers to Australia face direct consequences from methamphetamine trafficking, including rising HIV transmission linked to drug sharing in affected communities. Policy shifts toward combined policing and health services may change how drug-related health risks are addressed locally.
The takeaway
Addressing methamphetamine trafficking in the Pacific will likely require policing and health systems working together rather than separately. Experts argue that investment in education and health workforce recruitment will be vital as the region faces rising security pressures.
Further reading
For related context, explore more coverage in Drug Crime.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Border Mail.
Live Poll
Do you trust government policing and health services to protect communities from drug-driven crises?
