Why France is building a high-security prison deep in the Amazon jungle
With organized crime growing across Europe, France is planning a major move to take back control of its prison system. The government has announced plans to build a high-security prison deep in the Amazon rainforest, in its overseas territory of French Guiana.
The goal is to keep some of the country's most dangerous criminals, like drug traffickers and extremists, completely cut off from the outside world. By placing them in such a remote location, authorities hope to stop these prisoners from running criminal networks even while behind bars.
French Guiana: A strategic location
French Guiana, on the northeastern coast of South America, has been a key route in the international drug trade for years. Its remote location and closeness to drug-producing countries like Brazil and Suriname have made it a hotspot for criminal networks. By building the new prison here, the
French government
hopes to isolate dangerous criminals, especially drug lords, and limit their ability to control illegal activities from behind bars.
The new prison will be built in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, a town with a long history linked to France's old prison system. It was once the gateway to the infamous Devil's Island penal colony. Now, it's set to house some of the country's most dangerous criminals. By choosing such a remote spot, the government wants to make sure these inmates stay cut off from the outside world, limiting their ability to influence or run criminal networks, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), as quoted by BBC News.
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In recent years, France's prison system has faced growing problems with violence and gang activity inside jails. To tackle this, the government is stepping up efforts to break the grip of organized crime behind bars. The new prison will have space for around 500 inmates.
As quoted by the BBC, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) newspaper that, 'This new facility will be a lasting means of removing the heads of the drug trafficking networks.'
A major focus of the new prison is its advanced security measures. Mobile phones and other illegal communication devices have been a big problem in French prisons, letting criminals stay in touch with their networks. This facility will use special technology to block these devices, as mentioned in the BBC report.
The French government is also working to improve its legal and prosecution systems. New laws have been introduced to give law enforcement more power and create special teams in the prosecution office focused on breaking up organized crime networks.
These steps aim to tackle crime both inside prisons and in the wider community.
The future of France's prison system
According to the report, the facility is expected to open by 2028, and the world will be watching to see if it can effectively disrupt criminal organizations. Though ambitious, the plan shows France's determination to take strong action against crime.
Building this high-security prison is just one part of France's bigger plan to improve how it fights organized crime.
With tougher laws, better security, and more resources focused on tackling criminal gangs, the government aims to bring order back to its prisons and stop criminals from spreading their influence.
However, the success of this plan will depend on how well it can stop these criminal networks from operating. By isolating their leaders and cutting off their contact with the outside world, France hopes to weaken their control over the drug trade and other illegal activities.
As this ambitious project moves ahead, the French government is making it clear that it is serious about fighting crime and stopping criminals from acting without consequences. Whether this new prison will solve France's prison problems is still uncertain, but it signals a new phase in the country's fight against organized crime.
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