Koror, Palau – Palau’s Ministry of Justice is actively investigating illegal drug activities, according to Vice President Uduch Sengebau-Senior, who also serves as Minister of Justice.
Following concerns raised at town hall meetings, Vice President Senior provided data on drug cases. The Narcotics Enforcement Unit has seen a steady increase in investigations, with 22 cases probed in 2022, followed by 27 in 2023. So far this year, 14 drug investigations are underway.
To bolster prosecutions, the Ministry of Justice is seeking to hire more criminal prosecutors with the help of a recent budget increase. “We’re encouraged by the 10 applicants for prosecutor positions at the Attorney General’s Office,” Vice President Senior remarked.
The Ministry is also shifting its approach, prioritizing the use of search warrants over confidential informants. Highlighting the importance of search warrants for building stronger cases, Vice President Senior, an attorney herself, revealed that authorities obtained 15 search warrants in 2021, followed by eight in 2022, 12 in 2023, and seven so far in 2024.
These statistics show the Ministry of Justice’s efforts to combat drug trafficking. The ongoing investigations, coupled with a focus on stronger evidence through search warrants and potential growth in prosecutorial capacity, signify a strategy to address the influx of illegal drugs in Palau.