Meth from Fiji Intercepted at Airport, BLC Told

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Methamphetamine trafficked from Fiji by an airline passenger was intercepted at the airport in 2024 during a joint operation by Police and Customs, a hearing into the Dangerous Drugs Amendment was told on Tuesday.

The case was one of several incidents recorded by Customs involving methamphetamine.

The drug was allegedly carried by an expatriate passenger on behalf of a Solomon Islander from Fiji and was to be handed over to a local contact upon arrival. Acting on advance information and an alert from Fiji Police, local authorities seized a packet weighing approximately 15.5 grams. The substance was later tested by Police Forensics and confirmed to be methamphetamine.

Lagi told the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) that the suspect had declared on his arrival card that he was carrying a packet on behalf of someone in Solomon Islands.

The Committee also heard that the individual who allegedly sent the package had been booked on the same flight but did not board. Instead, he reportedly sent the package with the expatriate passenger.

However, no legal action was taken due to gaps in the existing laws relating specifically to methamphetamine at the time.

Lagi further highlighted a previous joint Police and Customs operation at the Yacht Club waterfront, where a significant quantity of drugs was discovered.

He said the proposed amendment to the Act represents a decisive strengthening of Solomon Islands’ legislative framework against serious drug trafficking.

According to Lagi, the proposed increase in penalties—from $100,000 to $15 million—along with the availability of life imprisonment, appropriately reflects the gravity of the offence and the evolving threat posed by transnational criminal networks in the Pacific.

He assured the Committee that his office stands ready to implement and enforce the amended provisions once passed.

Background

The proposed reforms to the 84-year-old Act are part of a new government push to combat the growing threat of methamphetamine entering Solomon Islands, amid concerns the drug has already caused serious social and health problems in other Pacific countries.

Permanent Secretary of Health Pauline McNeil told the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) that the amendment was prompted by a rise in meth-related incidents. These include cases linked to yachts, the Post Office, street-level sales, as well as suspected manufacturing and distribution networks.

She stressed the urgency of strengthening the law, warning that the health system is already beginning to feel the strain.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services also cautioned the BLC about increasing meth use, particularly among young people under 30. They further raised concerns about possible links between meth use and rising HIV cases.