Despite speeches and initiatives, the fight against cybercrime in Mauritius remains fraught with challenges. Over the past ten years, from 2014 to 2024, the Cybercrime Unit of the police has recorded a total of 3,337 cases. However, only 111 of these have been solved. This figure, revealed on Tuesday 22 July 2025, in the National Assembly by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam in response to a parliamentary question from Deputy Babita Thannoo, sheds a stark light on the effectiveness of the current system.
In detail: 147 cases are still awaiting the opinion of the Director of Public Prosecutions, 14 are pending trial, 889 are still under investigation and 2,176 have been closed without further action. Such statistics raise questions, especially in a context where cyber offenses — ranging from scams and identity theft to the dissemination of illicit content — continue to grow.
Faced with this reality, the government affirms its commitment to strengthening its resources. The Prime Minister announced an enhancement of the Cybercrime Unit, which has expanded from 13 officers in 2014 to 21 today, along with increased specialized training, particularly on emerging threats and digital evidence management.
Authorities are also relying on both local and international cooperation. The unit collaborates with CERT-MU, ICTA and several digital platforms through 24/7 emergency channels— notably with Facebook and TikTok — to facilitate investigations and content removal.
Another measure includes the 24/7 digital patrols conducted by the Police IT Unit, supported by its Digital Forensic Laboratory, now operational around the clock to analyze electronic evidence.
Aware of current limitations, the state is working on establishing a new specialized cybersecurity unit, with the support of international experts. Moreover, within the framework of the Government Program 2025–2029, legislative amendments are expected to better regulate security audits in sensitive sectors and to protect minors online.
Mauritius aims to equip itself with the tools necessary to respond to a global challenge that evolves at the speed of digital technology.