A New Maximum-Security Prison in French Guiana<\/h2>\n
G\u00e9rald Darmanin<\/strong>, France’s Minister of Justice, recently announced plans for a new maximum-security prison scheduled to open by an estimated 2028<\/strong>. Surprisingly, this facility will not be located on mainland Europe but instead in French Guiana<\/strong>, situated approximately 7,000 kilometers<\/strong> away across the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n \u201cThe goal of this new high-security prison is to neutralize<\/strong> the most dangerous profiles within the narcotics trade,\u201d Darmanin stated in an interview, suggesting that the isolation provided by such a distance will effectively sever offenders from their criminal networks.<\/p>\n French Guiana is an overseas territory that has historically served as a pivotal platform for cocaine trafficking from Brazil<\/strong> and Suriname<\/strong> into Europe. Estimates suggest that 15% to 20%<\/strong> of cocaine entering France does so via this Guiana-to-Paris route. This illicit movement often relies on \u201cmules<\/strong>\u201d\u2014individuals, particularly young, single mothers, driven by abject poverty to smuggle cocaine in exchange for amounts around \u20ac7,000<\/strong> per successful trip. <\/p>\n The flow of cocaine is significant; flights from Cayenne<\/strong>, the capital of French Guiana, often carry 20 to 30 mules<\/strong>, with about a third managing to evade detection.<\/p>\n The new prison facility is proposed to be built in the Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni<\/strong> commune, approximately seven kilometers<\/strong> from the urban center and located close to Suriname\u2019s border. The estimated budget for this \u20ac450 million<\/strong> project is intended to encompass not only the prison itself but also a court to facilitate the quick processing of associated judicial matters.<\/p>\n Expected to house 500 inmates<\/strong>, the prison will classify 60<\/strong> as "maximum security" and an additional 15<\/strong> as "terrorists," allocating special sections for these high-risk individuals. Beyond combating narcotics, this facility aims to relieve pressure from the existing R\u00e9mire-Montjoly<\/strong> prison, currently housing nearly 1,000<\/strong> inmates\u2014a facility designed for only 614<\/strong>.<\/p>\n While the proposition of a maximum-security prison in the heart of narcotics trafficking might seem straightforward, it carries complexities and echoes of a painful history. Echoing a practice reminiscent of British penal systems, Napoleon III<\/strong> established a penal colony in French Guiana, functioning from 1852 until 1953<\/strong>. <\/p>\n During that century, infamous locations such as the Islands of Salvation<\/strong> and Devil’s Island<\/strong> became notorious for housing both common criminals and political prisoners who endured forced labor, harsh punishments, and mortality rates as high as 75%<\/strong>. The harrowing accounts of those few who returned home stirred public sentiment, paving the way for the eventual closure of these facilities, which are now tourist sites.<\/p>\n As reported by BBC<\/strong>, the notion of reinstating Guiana\u2019s status as an "overseas prison" has incited resentment among locals. Davy Rimane<\/strong>, a local deputy, criticizes the decision as unilateral, asserting that \u201crelocating high-profile criminals to Guiana revives memories of a terrible past filled with suffering.\u201d <\/p>\n Among those displaced will not only be drug traffickers but also Islamic terrorists, which raises eyebrows among the populace. Criminologist Marion Vannier<\/strong> from the University of Manchester<\/strong> echoes these sentiments, calling the new plan a \u201cbad idea<\/strong>,\u201d arguing that moving dangerous offenders from one under-resourced facility to another not only perpetuates a flawed system but also risks public safety.<\/p>\n While France aims to roll out this new prison by 2028<\/strong>, the significant local dissent and apprehension surrounding the return to a dark chapter of history suggest that achieving this timeline may pose significant challenges. <\/p>\nUnderstanding the Cocaine Route<\/h2>\n
Details on the Planned Prison<\/h2>\n
Ghosts of the Past<\/h2>\n
![\"Historical](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/France-is-building-a-megaprison-with-high-security-for-its.png\"\/)
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nPublic Sentiment and Concerns<\/h2>\n