by Ednal Palmer
A suspected narco-submarine discovered in Makira in December last year remains unassessed, with police citing a lack of financial capacity and technical resources to investigate the vessel.
The disclosure was made by an officer of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Patricia Leta, Assistant Commissioner for Crime and Intelligence, during an appearance before the Bills and Legislation Committee, which is reviewing proposed amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Committee member Matthew Wale pressed police to provide concrete data to justify the legislative changes, arguing that lawmakers required a clearer understanding of the scale and nature of drug-related threats facing the country.
In response, Officer Leta outlined a series of drug interceptions over the past decade, many involving methamphetamine and foreign nationals.
Police said one of the earliest cases occurred in 2016, when customs officers intercepted plastic bags containing amphetamine originating from Malaysia.
In 2020, another package containing 1.06 grams of methamphetamine was intercepted through postal mail from the United Kingdom.
The largest seizure at the time was recorded in 2018, when drugs were confiscated from a yacht at Point Cruz in Honiara.
More recent cases were reported in 2023, including the seizure of 7.91 grams of methamphetamine from an individual in the Ranadi area, as well as another drug interception through the postal system.
That same year, additional grams of a crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine were seized in Honiara.
In 2024, officers intercepted methamphetamine at the international airport, where it had been concealed inside an amplifier.
Despite these seizures, police confirmed that no charges were laid in several cases because methamphetamine was not explicitly covered under existing legislation at the time.
In separate cocaine-related cases, suspects were arrested in Australia after leaving Solomon Islands jurisdiction.
RSIPF told the committee that most of the reported incidents involved foreign nationals.
On suspected narco-submarine activity, police said four cases have been recorded to date. One vessel discovered in Ontong Java in 2024 was assessed, with no contraband found.
Another located in Isabel Province, also tested negative for drug traces. A third vessel found in Malaita similarly yielded no evidence of narcotics.
The fourth vessel, discovered in Makira in December last year, has yet to be examined.
Police told the committee that financial constraints and limited technical resources have prevented officers from responding to the site.
“So far, four suspected submersible vessels have been discovered,” the officer said, adding that resource limitations continue to hamper effective enforcement and investigation.
When asked by Wale whether the country was only at the beginning of a drug problem, police responded candidly, saying authorities believe Solomon Islands is already “in the middle of the problem,” underscoring the urgency of strengthening drug laws and enforcement capacity.
