BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) have questioned whether the proposed $15 million fine and life imprisonment penalty in the Dangerous Drugs Amendment Bill 2025 will effectively deter international drug traffickers operating in the region.
During the committee’s inquiry, before Public Solicitor Office, BLC raised concerns regarding sophisticated drug trafficking networks often operating across oceans may not be discouraged by the proposed penalties.
Public solicitor George Gray said that trafficking operations have become increasingly advanced, pointing to reports of narcotics being transported across oceans from South America using specialised vessels.
“If traffickers can travel from South America to this part of the world using narco-submarines, they are clearly organised and sophisticated,” he told BLC.
Meanwhile, the BLC committee also questioned how the proposed $15 million penalty was determined, asking public solicitor whether the amount would truly deter organised international traffickers rather than only local offenders.
The BLC committee suggested that Solomon Islands consider a zero-tolerance approach, particularly toward high-value drugs such as methamphetamine and other highly addictive substances from a policy perspective.
Another major concern raised by the BLC during the inquiry was the legal definition of drugs under existing laws.
The issue emerged following a case last year involving a foreign national who could not be charged because the specific substance was not clearly defined under existing legislation.
The BLC said that the law should adopt a broader and more flexible definition of controlled substances so authorities would not need to return to Parliament each time a new drug appears.
The inquiry also revealed that key agencies including police, customs, health authorities, ports, and aviation regulators have limited data on the scale of drug trafficking entering the country.
Committee members said the lack of reliable data makes it difficult to determine whether Solomon Islands is facing an emerging drug crisis or is already experiencing widespread trafficking.
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