NZ minister opens Tongan detector dog facility to help fight illegal drug trade in Pacific

New Zealand's Customs Minister has opened a new detector dog facility in Vava'u, Tonga, as part of efforts to combat the spread of illegal drugs and firearms around the Pacific.

It's the country's second such facility, and was built locally with help from New Zealand Customs and Police.

Casey Costello said the facility will strengthen Tonga's border and help counter organised crime in the region.

"We've recognised with organised crime that the Pacific is effectively our collective border," she said.

"As we saw at the beginning of this year, we intercepted over 14 tonnes of cocaine in the Pacific, which we know is transiting through the Pacific into Australia and New Zealand.

"So, strengthening their response not only protects their communities and builds resilience, but it also strengthens our border as well."

Costello said transnational organised crime is a growing challenge in the Pacific, with criminal networks exploiting legitimate trade and travel to move drugs, firearms and cash.

The new facility will give Tongan detector dog teams a secure base to screen passengers, baggage, cargo and boats, and to deploy for longer periods.

Three dog teams already work out of Nuku'alofa, and two more are training at the Police Dog Training Centre in Trentham.

The facility will be jointly owned by Tonga Police and Tonga Customs, and Costello said that strengthening these Tongan agencies is another goal of the investment.

"A big part of the detector dog programme is building their own capability. We train the handlers, we train the dogs, we supply the dogs, but we also go up and support them.

"So we are partners in this, you know, we are supporting, we're not telling them what to do or how to do it, but we're building their capability and building their resilience, and all of those things become part of this cooperative relationship across the Pacific."