Fiji, Oct. 28 -- Pacific countries and the United States have agreed to strengthen maritime security, intelligence sharing and law enforcement cooperation to combat drug trafficking, cyber-enabled crime and illicit financial flows across the region.
The commitment was outlined in a joint communique following the inaugural U.S-Pacific Islands Conference of Police Ministers, hosted by the United States and Palau in Los Angeles on 21-22 October.
The communique identifies transnational criminal networks, including those trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine and other synthetic drugs, as a growing threat to Pacific communities and regional security.
Participants said narcotics trafficked through the Pacific by Western Hemisphere cartels had su...