Infamous fugitive known as “The Fly” arrested after a deadly prison in France and a 9-month Manhunt

Mohamed Amra, a fugitive French prisoner who encouraged international hunt after setting a deadly escape nine months ago, was arrested on Saturday in Romania, the French government said. Ten of his alleged copies were also arrested, the officials said.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the capture of “terrible success” and praised the European colleagues who persecuted him. The French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau thanked all the forces that today allowed the arrest of Mohamed Amre in Romania, ″ in the post on X.

Romanian police said Amra was arrested in surgery in Bucharest’s capital.

Two guards were killed When armed attackers helped Amri to escape from a prison convoy in Normandy last May, which prompted a high search. Interpol issued a red notice At the request of France for arresting Amra.

Amra, 30, fled after being sentenced to burglary to Normandy city of Evreux. He was also under investigation for attempting an organized murder and abduction that resulted in death, prosecutors said. Paris prosecutor Laura Beccuau said Amra had anything to do with Marseille’s organized crime unions and is suspected of running a drug trade network.

The first works of Amra took place at the age of 11 and 14, according to the prosecutor. The nickname “La Mouche” (The Fly), Amra also directed other pseudonyms such as “Yanis”, “Momo” and “Schtroupf” (Smurf).

On Sunday, the Chief Prosecutor in Paris said that police also arrested 10 suspects of Amra.

Amra’s escape and violent history have made him a symbol of the challenges facing French police in the fight against organized crime and ensuring high risk prisoners’ safety.

The brutality of the ambush, which was caught on CCTV, shocked France and Amra immediately became the most sought after man in the country.

The authorities have borrowed more than 300 investigators to find Amra, who has a long history of conviction for the violent crimes that began when he was in early teenagers.

According to a report of the judiciary since 2024, he began with a difficult robbery and progressively “slid toward violence”, eventually entering the world of organized crime.

The report found that the authorities had been underestimated for some time how dangerous it had become.

Amra is suspected to have followed her activities associated with drugs from prison cells and even order hits from custody.

The experiments allegedly “helped the fugitive to hide”

Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin published an open letter to prison officers on Sunday, promising them better working conditions.

It also vowed to create “prison police” and “prison for high security”, in response to concern that convicted criminals became too easy for them to continue their work, although they were closed, especially thanks to mobile phones approach.

Such Supermax prison, which will be completed within a few months, would retain “100 biggest drug traders” in complete isolation-usuals by Italian Anti-Mafia Laws as a model-so that “a case like Amra can never repeat again” , Darmanin said.

At the time of her escape, Amra faced a charge of attempted murder and the other to participate in the murder in the southern city of Marseille, a drug trade center and gang violence.

Paris prosecutor said in a statement that his 10 suspicious copies were detained on Saturday and early Sunday.

Police source said AFP was arrested mostly in Rouen and Evreux in northwest of France, and that the police seized the weapons during raids.

“It is suspected that they helped prepare and escape to escape and helped the fugitive to hide,” the prosecutor said.

Romanian police said Amra was arrested near the Bucharest Shopping Center and would be brought to a judge who would decide on his extradition to France.

After being warned by their French colleagues, it only took Romanian police for 48 hours to find, identify and catch Amra, the government said in Bucharest.

Amra, who refuses to charges against him, agreed to be returned to France, said lawyer Maria Marc. “She respects the decision of the French authorities who want to put him on a trial,” she said.

Beccuau said Amra, who changed her look and dyed her hair, identified through the face and fingertips tools.

The lawyers of the family of two agents killed in Amra’s Escape said they were “liberated” that he was finally arrested.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE contributed to this report.