Overview:
Palau’s crackdown on methamphetamine is producing a sharp rise in convictions, seizures and court fines, according to new Ministry of Justice figures showing drug-related penalties have more than doubled in the past year.
More than 1 kilogram of meth seized in FY2025 amid expanding crackdown on illegal drugs
By: L.N. Reklai
KOROR, Palau (May 11, 2026) The Ministry of Justice in Palau says convictions, seizures and court-imposed fines tied to methamphetamine cases have risen sharply in recent years, highlighting the growing scale of the country’s illegal drug crisis and the government’s intensified crackdown.
According to the Ministry of Justice, 15 methamphetamine-related court cases in fiscal year 2024 resulted in convictions, with courts collecting a total of $195,750 in fines. The ministry said the figures represented nearly triple the numbers recorded in 2019.
The trend continued into fiscal year 2025, covering the period from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, with authorities reporting 23 methamphetamine-related convictions and the seizure of 1,037.08 grams of methamphetamine. Courts imposed a combined $415,000 in fines in those 23 cases, more than doubling the amount collected the previous fiscal year.
The statistics reflect a significant escalation in both enforcement activity and the scale of illegal drug operations being uncovered in Palau.
Palau, like many Pacific island nations, has faced increasing challenges linked to illegal drug trafficking and methamphetamine abuse. Officials have warned that limited manpower, funding and resources continue to strain law enforcement agencies responding to the crisis.
In response, President Surangel Whipps Jr. established a national working group that includes representatives from all branches of government as well as members of civil society. The group was tasked with developing a broader, coordinated strategy aimed at prevention, enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation.
The latest enforcement figures come shortly after Palau’s national congress approved sweeping amendments to the country’s drug laws. The legislation, signed into law last week by President Whipps, strengthens penalties for drug-related crimes, expands the legal definitions covering illegal drug violations and includes additional rehabilitation requirements for offenders.
Government officials have said the tougher law is intended to give prosecutors and law enforcement stronger tools to combat the growing methamphetamine problem while supporting rehabilitation efforts for those struggling with addiction.