Australia spending up to stop Pacific drug trafficking

Australia has announced a $600 million package to combat trans-national drug trafficking through the Pacific region, according to Anthony Albanese's announcement at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau. The investment aims to curb the influx of contraband drugs into Australia and address the escalating issue, which has contributed to increased gang activity in Samoa and Tonga, and a surge in HIV rates in Fiji.

In 2025, Australian Federal Police seized about 4.6 tonnes of illicit drugs in the region, while in the first five months of this year, 17 tonnes were intercepted, mostly cocaine. The new package will include enhanced aerial surveillance, police and border training, and is available for Pacific countries to opt into. Pacific Minister Pat Conroy emphasized the devastating impact of drug trafficking on Pacific communities, noting that the initiative responds to calls from regional leaders for more action and regional coordination.

The Australian Federal Police have reported a rise in narcotics interventions in the region, attributing the issue to a lack of coordination and resources among Pacific nations, which crime syndicates exploit. The new "Waqa Moana" partnership, proposed at the forum, aims to improve information-sharing across the region using existing patrol boats, with a coordination center in Samoa and a Fiji-based maritime body to issue interdiction requests.

This proposal follows a similar $600 million investment in a Pacific Policing Initiative two years ago, which established training hubs for regional police and a multi-country force for deployment on request.