The deportation of criminals of Pacific heritage from the United States, Australia and New Zealand is helping fuel a worsening Pacific drug crisis.
This is one of the findings of new research from the Lowy Institute looking at drug trafficking in the region.
The research released today also says that the Pacific drug highway has spilled over into domestic markets for illicit drug consumption and production.
In this first part of a new three part talanoa series I am joined by research author José Sousa-Santos who is a Pacific Policy Fellow at the Australia Pacific Security College and managing director of Strategika Group.
Marshall Islands Police Captain Eric Jorban, left, empties a bag of one-kilo packages of cocaine into an incinerator Photo: RNZ Pacific / Giff Johnson
