Narco Islands: How Narco Subs Fuel a Transnational Drug Crisis | Part 2 | Foreign Correspondent

Key Concepts

• Narco Submarines (Semi-submersibles): Clandestine, low-profile vessels designed to transport large quantities of narcotics while remaining difficult to detect via radar or visual inspection.
• Pacific Drug Superhighway: The emerging maritime route used by cartels to transport drugs from South America through the Pacific Islands to lucrative markets in Australia and New Zealand.
• OMCG (Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs): Criminal organizations, such as the Comanchero Motorcycle Club, that facilitate drug distribution and influence local criminal networks.
• Deportation Policy Impact: The practice of deporting foreign-born criminals back to their home nations (e.g., Tonga), which inadvertently exports "criminal know-how" and fuels local gang activity.
• Legal Loopholes: The absence of specific legislation in some Pacific nations (e.g., Solomon Islands) regarding the manufacture, supply, or possession of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine.

1. The Rise of the Pacific Drug Route

The South Pacific is increasingly becoming a transit corridor for drug cartels. Because Australia and New Zealand offer some of the highest prices for cocaine globally—five to ten times higher than other markets—traffickers are willing to undertake 10,000-kilometer journeys across the ocean.

• Narco Submarines: These vessels are often constructed in clandestine jungle shipyards in Colombia. They are typically 17.5 meters long, made of fiberglass, and designed to sit low in the water to avoid detection.
• Interception Data: In the last two years, the Colombian Navy has seized 37 semi-submersibles. In February 2024, a vessel was intercepted carrying four tons of cocaine with maps specifically charting a route to Australia.

2. Case Study: Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands serves as a prime example of a nation ill-prepared for the influx of narcotics.

• Abandoned Vessels: Four narco subs have washed up on Solomon Islands shores in the last 18 months, all empty of cargo and crew.
• Resource Gaps: The police force lacks basic equipment, including detector dogs and container X-ray machines. Investigations are often stalled due to transport difficulties between the 900+ islands.
• Legal Deficiencies: Director of Public Prosecutions Andrew Klesie revealed that for years, the country lacked laws to prosecute methamphetamine-related crimes. Even when 500g of meth was seized, authorities could not charge the suspect until public pressure forced a change in legislation.

3. Case Study: Tonga and the Comancheros

Tonga is actively fighting the infiltration of international criminal syndicates, particularly those linked to the United States and Australia.

• Operation Burrito: A targeted police operation led to the arrest of Enyas Tammo Fao, a deportee from Australia who attempted to establish a chapter of the Comanchero motorcycle gang in Tonga.
• Modus Operandi: Smugglers use "rip-on" methods, where drugs are hidden in legitimate shipping consignments or fishing vessels.
• Deportee Vulnerability: Many deportees, having grown up in Western countries, are targeted by local criminal elements who believe they possess the "professional" skills to manage drug distribution. Organizations like "Dare to Dream" attempt to support these returnees, but many struggle with isolation and lack of opportunity.

4. Key Perspectives and Arguments

• The "Exporting Crime" Argument: The investigation argues that Australia’s hardline deportation policies are directly contributing to the destabilization of Pacific nations. By sending individuals with criminal records back to countries they left as children, Australia is effectively exporting its gang culture.
• The Reality of Gang Life: Enyas Tammo Fao, in his first media interview, admitted that his attempt to start a gang chapter was a "bitter" reaction to his deportation. He warned that the "brotherly" image of gangs is a myth, describing the life as "lonely" and ultimately leading to a "sweat box" prison cell.
• Systemic Failure: The report highlights that the Pacific’s vulnerability is a direct result of the high demand for drugs in Australia. As long as the market remains lucrative, the islands will continue to be exploited.

5. Notable Quotes

• Andrew Klesie (DPP, Solomon Islands): "If we continue to treat this as just business as usual, then we are setting ourselves into a very dangerous future."
• Enyas Tammo Fao (Convicted drug importer): "I grew up in Australia, so I never thought that this is the cell I’m going to end up in for the rest of my life... the gang life doesn’t always lead to something glamorous and it can be pretty lonely."
• Jeff Turner (Police Commissioner, Tonga): "The biggest danger really is around connecting with already long-established connections that exist for drug supply from Southeast Asia and South America."

Synthesis

The investigation concludes that the South Pacific is no longer an isolated paradise but a critical node in a global narco-network. The combination of high-profit margins in Australia, the use of sophisticated semi-submersible technology, and the unintended consequences of deportation policies has created a "perfect storm." Without increased regional cooperation, better resourcing for local police, and a shift in how deportees are integrated, these nations face a future of escalating violence and criminal influence.