Australia to pledge $429m to track Pacific narco subs

Australia will pledge Au$600 million, or $429 million, on Wednesday to help small Pacific island states track and interdict “narco subs” and other drug-smuggling vessels at sea.

Australian authorities said illicit drug seizures in the South Pacific have more than tripled this year, with 17 tonnes of cocaine and methamphetamine seized compared with 5.5 tonnes in 2025.

The annual Pacific islands leaders summit is due to address the transnational drug trade on Wednesday, including efforts to identify drug boats and crude submarines used to transport narcotics across the region.

Under Australia's proposal, satellite surveillance would be expanded and intelligence-sharing would be strengthened. A transnational crime centre in Samoa would analyse information and share it with a maritime centre in Fiji, which would issue interdiction requests across the Pacific.

Pacific island countries would send patrol boats to search suspect vessels. Australian police would also increase cooperation with South American and Central American counterparts to try to stop drug flows at their source.

Australia's Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said drug trafficking was having “a devastating impact on Pacific communities”. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said countries in the region needed to work together to stop the illicit drug trade.