Organised crime syndicates are actively targeting legitimate Pacific businesses, commercial supply chains, and vulnerable employees to move illicit drugs across borders.
New Zealand Police Senior Liaison Officer Pacific Superintendent Nicholas Brown stressed this message to corporate leaders on June 19 at the Fiji New Zealand and New Zealand Fiji Business Councils 2026 joint conference in Nadi.
Mr Brown said drug harm was ultimately an economic issue that directly undermined workforce wellbeing, drove community violence, and damaged investor confidence.
He said criminal entities sought access to transportation networks, financial systems, and corporate supply chains through coercion, financial incentives, or by exploiting vulnerable workers.
“Criminal groups, I would suggest, are just as competitive as you at that adaptability.”
Mr Brown called for a united response combining law enforcement, border agencies, and the private sector to disrupt the entire criminal business model rather than focusing solely on drug seizures.
He urged businesses to proactively safeguard their operations through rigorous supply chain integrity, strong corporate governance, strict compliance, and by actively reporting suspicious activities to protect against criminal infiltration.
