Prisoners in Tonga have provided a rare glimpse into the sophisticated strategies used by criminal networks to smuggle drugs into the Pacific, and onwards to Australia and New Zealand, as reported by ABC Pacific. Tonga is grappling with a rise in illicit drug use, primarily methamphetamine, which has become a major issue across the region.
One inmate, currently serving a 12-year sentence for drug offences, spoke to ABC about his involvement in trafficking methamphetamine. “I came to Tonga and was caught at the airport with 2 kilos (of meth). I was planning to fly with it to New Zealand,” he explained.
The inmate detailed how drug networks operate internationally, revealing connections with handlers in Los Angeles, Fiji, Tonga, and even Europe. “We had handlers everywhere—airport workers, pilots, and even air hostesses. I’d give them a share of course, a dealer’s share,” he said.
Describing the lucrative nature of the business, he added, “I would usually bring about 10 kilos in my handbag, making 100,000 dollars per kilo.”
Tonga is one of several Pacific nations struggling with the increasing infiltration of drug trafficking, as the region becomes a growing transit point for methamphetamine destined for Australia and New Zealand.
Source: ABC Pacific
