The Oceania Customs Organisation secretariat says it is seeing a worrying increase in methamphetamine imported to the region.
Seve Paeniu Photo: CIECC
The head of the secretariat, Seve Paeniu, said it believed this stems from a significant increase in production in China, driven by demand for the drug in Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Paeniu said countries in Micronesia and Melanesia were also experiencing an increase in the use of methamphetamines, with a resulting rise in criminal acitivity and accompanying societal issues.
He said efforts to combat the trend had uncovered both local and foreign involvement in the illegal trade alongside the increase in criminals being deported in the region.
Mr Paeniu told Fiji media earlier this week there was also evidence of increased local production of meth.
He said regional customs officials were being trainined in investigation and interrogation techniques to try and crackdown on the problem.