France plans to construct a €400 million super-maximum security prison in its South American territory, French Guyane, to incarcerate the most dangerous drug traffickers and Islamist radicals. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced the facility will be located in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, the same region that once housed the infamous Devil’s Island penal colony.
The prison will accommodate 500 inmates, featuring ultra-secure zones for high-risk individuals, including 15 spots reserved for convicted Islamist radicals. Set to open by 2028, the facility aims to isolate these criminals far from mainland France, preventing them from managing criminal enterprises from within prison walls.
Darmanin emphasized the strict regime of the prison, stating, “The prison regime will be extremely strict, with one aim: to put the most dangerous narcotraffickers in a place where they can do no harm.” He added, “The drug gang bosses will no longer be able to have any contact with their criminal networks.”
The decision follows a surge in violent gang activity and prison disturbances in France, highlighting the growing threat of organized crime and inmate intimidation of guards. Officials estimate that one in three air passengers from French Guyane smuggle drugs, with dugout canoes bringing cocaine destined for Europe across the Maroni River from Suriname.
Darmanin has enacted tougher prison policies and collaborations with South American nations like Brazil, with plans to advocate international cooperation against drug trafficking. He stated, “Brazil and France face the same networks, the same [smuggling]…This is a war we must wage [together].”
