BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
George Gray from the Public Solicitor’s Office warns that weakness in Solomon Islands’ maritime legislation could undermine efforts to combat drug trafficking, particularly through the country’s vast ocean territory.
Appearing before the Bills and Legislation Committee during its inquiry into the Dangerous Drugs Amendment Bill 2025 last month, Gray said the current legal framework does not adequately support enforcement against drug trafficking at sea.
“The submission focused on maritime enforcement under the Delimitation of Marine Waters Act, which defines the country’s maritime zones. However, the Act does not provide for a “contiguous zone,” a maritime area recognised under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that allows coastal states to enforce certain laws beyond their territorial sea,” he said.
He said this absence limits Solomon Islands’ ability to intercept vessels suspected of drug trafficking before they enter territorial waters.
He said that under the current law, Solomon Islands exercises full sovereignty only within 12 nautical miles of its territorial sea.
“Beyond that, the country’s powers in the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are restricted mainly to the management and conservation of natural resources. This creates a gap in enforcement. Without a contiguous zone, authorities may not have the legal authority to intercept suspected drug traffickers before they reach our shores.
“The submission also raised concerns about the increasing use of so-called “narco-submarines” by international drug traffickers. Such vessels have been detected in parts of the Pacific, including reports of suspected sightings in Solomon Islands waters near Lord Howe, Dai and Ramos Island,” he said.
He said that drug traffickers are unlikely to transport large quantities of narcotics through airports and are more likely to use maritime routes across the Pacific.
“To strengthen enforcement, the office recommended amending the Delimitation of Marine Waters Act to formally establish a contiguous zone extending up to 24 nautical miles from the baseline. This would allow authorities to exercise limited enforcement powers relating to customs, immigration, fiscal and sanitary laws,” he said.
He said that this will help close this legal gap and improve Solomon Islands’ ability to combat illicit drug trafficking through its maritime boundaries.
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