The arrival of high-speed Internet to the Pacific continues to bring opportunities such as business growth and job creation, but it also brings malicious cyber actors who can target victims in the region, making it the centre of discussions at a cybercrime workshop held in Tonga on 23 - 25 May.

Cyber actors are individuals or groups that target a person or organisation for money, information, or to undermine reputations or destablise operations, through avenues such as online scams, banking fraud, and identity theft.

Senior officials from 13 Pacific island countries are currently attending the workshop to discuss each countries’ police and prosecutorial responses to cybercrime and electronic evidence.

Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Siaosi Sovaleni said in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the workshop that cybercrime poses a serious threat to the Pacific region.

He said cybercrime responses had to be based on “strong legislation, capable law enforcement and robust international cooperation”.

He added that as cyber space is a new frontier, one country couldn’t combat cybercrime on its own and that everyone needs to address it together.

Acting Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr ‘Aminiasi Kefu, said in a statement that the workshop is to provide participants with a greater understanding of how to acquire and handle electronic evidence to ensure the investigation and prosecution of a range of crimes, including cybercrime is effective.

“The internet and other technologies are being used every day to facilitate a range of other traditional crime types, from transnational crimes such as drug smuggling and illegal fishing, to more domestic crimes, including blackmail and harassment. As such, electronic evidence is becoming increasingly important in criminal investigations and prosecutions.”

The workshop is aimed at police investigators, prosecutors, and relevant information communications technology (ICT) policy makers.

Pacific Island countries taking part are Fiji, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tonga, Australia and New Zealand.

Facilitators at the workshop include representatives from the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, Australian Federal Police, Australian Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, New Zealand Police, Fiji Police, United States Department of Justice, INTERPOL, Council of Europe and Tonga’s Attorney General’s Office.

Tonga acceded to the Budapest Convention (Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime) earlier this month having received assistance from the Council of Europe on law reform and law enforcement capacity building and support from the Australian Attorney-General’s Department.

Related article: Tonga joins Cybercrime Convention [2]