Illegal drugs being smuggled into Tonga will be easier to detect with new spectrometer equipment, to be funded by Japan.

Non-Project Grant Aid worth around USD$3 million has been committed by the Government of Japan for the provision of the equipment, to assist the Tonga government's efforts to detect and prevent illicit drugs from entering its borders.

“I understand that most of the illegal drugs are brought into Tonga through illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers,” said Japan's Ambassador HE Mr Munenaga Kensaku.

The support is aimed at supply reduction and will provide patrol boats, portable raman spectrometers, and trace detection system machines (TDS) to the Ministry of Revenue and Customs.

He said the patrol boats could be used for surveillance, to detect illegal activities to reduce inflow of the illegal drugs to Tonga.

“Both portable raman spectrometers and TDS can detect concealed illicit drugs or other dangerous products, through scanning or wiping the surface of cargos or personal mails being imported to Tonga."

He said that the issue of illicit drugs was long-standing in the Kingdom.

“You may all agree that the drug situation in Tonga is getting worse as the number of prosecutions related to illegal drugs has dramatically increased: 60 cases in 2018, 170 cases in 2019, and 209 cases in 2020.

“To respond to this situation, the Government of Tonga adopted the Tonga National Illicit Drug Policy. His Majesty, the King has taken this issue seriously and called on immediate actions in parliament's opening addresses. The King also opened the first National Symposium on Illicit Drugs to discuss and understand the issue in 2021,” said the Ambassador, in announcing the support of the Government of Japan.

The Ambassador signed the Notes for the assistance to the Ministry of Revenue and Customs, with Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu on 27 September, at the Fa'onelia Convention Centre.

The Acting PM extended Tonga’s profound gratitude to the Ambassador and the people and Government of Japan for this significant assistance, which would move Tonga forward in safer and secure border control. The Ministry of Police will also benefit from this equipment to be provided, he said.