Over recent years, Swedish authorities that encounter unaccompanied refugee minors, such as the social services and the police, have reported that drug use is an increasing problem, along with criminality. Likewise, governmental as well as non-governmental organisations working with children have acknowledged that unaccompanied refugee minors across Europe are exposed to environments and situations that put them at risk for becoming addicted to drugs or becoming involved in crime. However, issues of drug abuse and criminality among unaccompanied minors are rarely acknowledged in the international research literature. In the present study we aim to explore this issue from a health care and policing perspective. More precisely we aim to describe (1) the patterns of substance abuse and mental health problems among unaccompanied refugee minors that have been enrolled in outpatient clinics for adolescents with substance use problems, and (2) the patterns of substance use and the situational and spatial circumstances where the police encounter unaccompanied minors. Findings indicate that unaccompanied refugee minors being treated for substance abuse suffer significant mental health related problems. Information from the police indicate that the police encounter unaccompanied refugee minors who use drugs, e.g. cannabis and heroin, as well as minors engaged in drug dealing. Even if only a minority of unaccompanied refugee minors are involved in substance abuse and/or criminality, this is an area of research that requires more attention because of the individual suffering and societal consequences that these problems may produce.