Solomon Islands: Capacity building and awareness must be kept up to combat the transiting of illicit drugs.
A report last week, quoting Police Media, said officers of the RSIPF had destroyed a 12 meter two-masted yacht, ‘Vieux Malin,’ that had been confiscated in Solomon’s waters last September in an operation that had led to the discovery of 500 kilograms of the illicit drug cocain in the yacht.
The discovery of the cocain served to substantiate concerns by the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police at their conference last August when it was said the region was increasingly being used for transiting illicit drugs, including methamphetime to Australia and New Zealand.
In a new report carried by Radio New Zealand today, Saturday 25 January, 2020, it was disclosed that law enforcement officials in the Northern Marianas (CNMI) had intercepted crystal methamphetamine or 'ice' hidden in silicon tubes inside a shipping container from China.
The CNMI Division of Customs said over a kilogramme of the highly addictive stimulant was discovered during a routine inspection and had an estimated street value of $US481, 000.
The drugs were hidden inside 24 tubes.
Customs said the illegal drugs were shipped by someone known by law enforcement officials.
It was the largest illegal drugs seizure in the CNMI since 2018.
Source: Radio New Zealand
The Solomon Islands must keep up its capacity building and awareness to fight the illicit drug trade and the sharing of information and port surveillance cannot be over emphasised.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
