RSIPF Maritime Officers Undergo VBSS Training in Fiji

Six officers from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Maritime Division are currently undertaking Vessel Boarding, Search and Seizure (VBSS) tactical training at the Pacific VBSS School in Suva, Fiji, from 2nd to 13th March 2026.

The training is aimed at strengthening maritime interdiction capabilities and enhancing the operational skills of police maritime officers in conducting safe and effective boarding operations at sea.

These skills are essential in addressing maritime transnational crimes such as smuggling, illegal trafficking, and other unlawful activities within the maritime domain.

Commander of the RSIPF Maritime Division, Superintendent Nevol Soko, expressed his sincere appreciation to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) through its Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) for facilitating the training as part of its ongoing partnership with Pacific Island countries, including the Solomon Islands.

Commander Soko said

the initiative plays an important role in strengthening regional capacity to combat maritime crime and improving coordinated law enforcement efforts across the Pacific.

The VBSS training equips officers with practical skills in safely approaching and boarding vessels at sea, conducting systematic searches, and detecting illicit cargo, including identifying concealed compartments using specialized search techniques.

The RSIPF Maritime Division remains committed to strengthening its operational capability and working closely with regional partners to combat transnational organized crime and safeguard the maritime zones of the Solomon Islands.