103 Minors Arrested for Drug Offences in Mauritius Since 2024

Mauritius recorded 103 arrests of minors for drug-related offences between January 2024 and early 2025, according to figures disclosed in parliament by Arianne Navarre-Marie, the Minister of Gender Equality and Child Development.

The disclosure came during a Private Notice Question session, a formal parliamentary procedure in Mauritius that allows opposition MPs to put urgent questions directly to ministers. The figures paint a troubling picture of how deeply the drug crisis is reaching into the lives of young people across the island.

Of the 103 arrests, 76 took place at home or in the street, while 27 occurred inside school premises. The fact that more than a quarter of arrests happened in educational settings has alarmed child welfare advocates and education officials alike.

The minister also revealed that four children died from violence between January 2024 and January 2025. No further details about the circumstances of those deaths were provided in the parliamentary exchange. Additionally, 365 children are currently under some form of monitoring or state care, though the original disclosure did not specify the precise nature of that supervision.

Mauritius has been grappling with a worsening drug problem for several years. Synthetic drugs, including heroin and new psychoactive substances, have become increasingly accessible, and law enforcement agencies have repeatedly warned that traffickers are targeting younger populations. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam made headlines in parliament by suggesting that drug barons may have been involved in fuelling civil unrest in the country, signalling how central the drug issue has become to national security discussions.

The involvement of minors in drug offences raises serious questions about prevention, education and the capacity of social services to intervene before young people come into contact with the justice system. Under Mauritian law, minors who are arrested are generally dealt with through the juvenile justice framework, which is meant to prioritise rehabilitation over punishment. However, critics argue that support structures for at-risk youth remain underfunded.

What this means: These figures confirm that the drug crisis in Mauritius is no longer confined to adult communities or specific urban hotspots. With arrests happening inside school gates and children dying from violence, the problem demands a coordinated response spanning education, policing, health and social welfare. Parents, teachers and community leaders are on the front line, often without adequate institutional support. The government will face growing pressure to explain what concrete steps are being taken to protect children and dismantle the supply networks reaching them.

Source: Le Defi Media