By Katalina Siasau

Money laundering has become an increasing concern across the Pacific and Tonga following a surge in crimes linked to illicit drug trafficking and transnational organized crime, said senior officials from the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) today, in Nuku’alofa.

The National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT) hosted the high-level APG delegation this week discussing strategies and ongoing collaboration to strengthen efforts to combat the financial aspects of serious and organized crime.

At a media briefing in Nuku’alofa Friday, 27 February 2026, APG Deputy Executive Secretary David Shannon said money laundering activities are growing.

“The challenge for money laundering continues to increase, and become more complex as well. In practice, what's happening is it's very much following the crime trends that we're seeing — a few of those trends of course in relation to the serious drug problems and organized crime, also fraud, even cyber crime scams that we see at the village level, people are being targeted,” he said.

He warned that the expansion of these crimes “is making the situation worse” in the region.

APG Co-Chair and Japan’s Deputy Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, Mitsutoshi said the spread of organized crime into the Pacific highlights how quickly criminal networks can adapt.

“The expansion of organized crime into the Pacific underscores how quickly criminal networks can shift operations and exploit loopholes to conduct financial crime.”

Protecting families and communities

Shannon stressed that addressing the financial side of crime is ultimately about protecting communities.

While noting that there are no exact figures on the scale of criminal proceeds in Tonga, Shannon emphasized that Tonga is not considered a major international money laundering hub.

“So while we don't have an exact figure of how much process of crime here, I can say that Tonga is not a huge international money laundering location, that you don't have an offshore financial center. Tonga  has been very careful to not fall into the trap or some features that might make it especially risky, for example, citizenship by investment, or an offshore financial center…”

Tonga’s reputation

NRBT Governor Tatafu Moeaki acknowledged that money laundering risks have affected Tonga’s reputation among some international financial institutions, impacting trust and financial access.

“But our work now is return the trust and return access for all the financial institutions and parties,” Moeaki said.

Tonga remains committed to working closely with the APG and other regional and development partners to improve legal frameworks, government systems and private sector know-how to stay ahead of emerging financial crime risks.

The media briefing also included senior officials from the World Bank and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tonga's Attorney General Linda Folaumoetu'i, and Solicitor General, Sione Sisifa.

During the visit, the APG delegation also met with Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Economic Development, Hon. Dr. Viliami Lātū.