Strengthening Border Security With Samoa And Tonga

Law enforcement agencies from New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga have this week strengthened commitments to ongoing collaboration to meet the challenges and risks posed by transnational, serious and organised crime (TSOC) in the Pacific.

New Zealand Customs and New Zealand Police officials were in Samoa and Tonga to support Prime Minister Luxon's delegation and join bilateral engagements.

In Samoa, New Zealand Customs and Samoa Customs signed a Customs Cooperative Arrangement (CCA) on Monday 16 March 2026. This Arrangement will build upon the long-standing relationship by providing a formal framework for law enforcement cooperation and information sharing.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Prime Minister Laauli Leuatea Schmidt witnessed the CCA signing by Chief Executive of the New Zealand Customs Service, Mrs Christine Stevenson and Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Customs and Revenue Fonoti Talaitupu Lia Taefu in Apia.

In Tonga (Wednesday 18 March 2026), New Zealand representatives from Customs and Police signed the Pacific Detector Dog Working Arrangement with Tongan counterparts, which commits support to develop and strengthen the capability of Tonga's detector dog programme until 2030.

The updated Arrangement will enhance Tonga’s ability to use detector dogs to intercept illicit drugs, cash and firearms at the border and stop them from causing harm in the community.

New Zealand will continue to provide specialist support including the supply of detector dogs, detector dog training, handler development, operational advice and equipment. Tongan authorities will provide local handlers, vehicles, kennelling, operational support and an annual operating budget to ensure long-term sustainability.

New Zealand Customs, New Zealand Police and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade are also providing funding and support to construct a secure, purpose-built detector dog facility in Vava’u, Tonga. Construction is expected to commence in 2026.

Vava’u receives a large number of visiting yachts each year and is a known transit route for transnational organised crime. This facility will accommodate up to two detector dog teams and significantly strengthen Tonga Customs’ and Police’s ability to target high-risk cargo and travellers.

Once the kennel facility is built, New Zealand will be supplying two additional dog teams – one for Tonga Customs, and one for Tonga Police.

Comptroller and Chief Executive of the New Zealand Customs Service, Christine Stevenson, says the arrangements with Samoa and Tonga reflect a shared commitment to disrupt transnational, serious and organised crime and strengthen border security for all three countries.

“New Zealand law enforcement already works very closely with its Pacific partners to respond to cross-border crime. We share the concerns of our Tongan and Samoan partners about the increase and impact of drug smuggling in our Pacific region. These arrangements deepen that working relationship and will help amplify our impact on disrupting transnational crime,” said Mrs Stevenson.

Strengthening relationships and collaboration in the Pacific aligns with the Government's direction and recommendations in the Transnational Organised Crime Strategy and Action Plan, released in December 2025.

Notes:

• Established in 2018, the Pacific Detector Dog Programme (PDDP) is jointly managed by the New Zealand Customs Service and New Zealand Police and funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
• This Programme has deployed 21 New Zealand-trained detector dogs and handlers across the Pacific, who are already preventing illegal drugs from entering communities in Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and the Cook Islands.
• Under the Pacific Detector Dog Working Arrangement with Tonga, New Zealand is committed to providing Tonga with:
• Maintaining six dogs in the Tonga Detector Dog Unit – three for Tonga Customs and three for Tonga Police; and
• Training detector dog teams and support staff in New Zealand and Tonga.

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