The French government plans to build a high-security prison in French Guiana, targeting organized crime and aiming to control drug trafficking within its borders.
France Announces Construction of High-Security Prison Deep in the Amazon
France Announces Construction of High-Security Prison Deep in the Amazon
A new facility aims to curb drug trafficking and criminal activities in French Guiana.
France has revealed plans for a €400 million high-security prison to be constructed in its overseas territory of French Guiana, specifically designed to incarcerate drug traffickers and radical extremists. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin disclosed the initiative during his recent visit to French Guiana, emphasizing a focused approach to combat organized crime across all tiers of the drug supply chain.
The proposed facility, expected to be operational by 2028, will be situated in a remote area of the Amazon jungle, near Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. This decision follows a surge of violent confrontations linked to criminal gangs in France, prompting the government to take decisive action. The new prison will accommodate up to 500 inmates, featuring a specialized section for the most dangerous offenders.
Darmanin asserted that the prison would be overseen by a "rigorous carceral regime," aiming to incapacitate major drug traffickers and eliminate the influence of criminal networks. The Justice Minister stressed the facility's objective to detain perpetrators at the initial stages of drug operations while permanently dismantling leadership figures within those networks based in mainland France.
Given its geographic distance from the French mainland, French Guiana presents unique challenges in controlling criminal activity, with the minister claiming that drug lords would be effectively severed from their organizations. He highlighted the ongoing issue of unauthorized mobile phones within the prison system, revealing that tens of thousands are known to circulate among various facilities in France.
To bolster anti-crime measures, the French government previously introduced new legislation aimed at curtailing the operations of criminal organizations. This initiative includes establishing a specialized unit within the prosecutor's office to handle organized crime, enhancing investigative powers, and affording special protections to informants.
Moreover, the new high-security facility will implement stringent policies regarding inmate visitations and external communication.
Recent months have seen a series of violent attacks on prisons in France, which Darmanin has labeled "terrorist" acts in retaliation against the government's measures. Incidents have included vehicles set ablaze outside facilities and gunfire directed at Toulon’s La Farlede prison, with some assailants claiming to act in defense of prisoners' rights.
The strategic placement of the planned facility near Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, historically a gateway for drug traffickers from Brazil and Suriname, is a key aspect of the state's strategy to combat illicit drug trade. Notably, the area was previously the port for the notorious Devil's Island penal colony, which housed 70,000 inmates from 1852 to 1954.
With mounting pressure to swiftly address the evolving landscape of organized crime, this new prison initiative highlights France's commitment to strengthening its criminal justice system in the face of escalating violence.
