Violence and delinquency generate heavy insecurity in the overseas departments. In overseas territories, the number of homicides and attacks is much higher than in mainland France.
In Mayotte, the growth of insecurity and the problem of illegal immigration even gave rise to social movements which paralyzed the island for several weeks. The overseas territories are the main gateway for cocaine into France, thanks in particular to transport by sea due to the proximity of the departments to the three major producing countries of Colombia, Peru and the Bolivia.