French Drug Trafficker Mohamed Amra Extradited from Romania After Nine-Month Manhunt
Mohamed Amra, a French drug trafficker, was extradited from Romania to France after a nine-month manhunt following his violent escape that resulted in two prison officers' deaths. Arrested under a false identity, Amra is now facing high-security measures in France as investigations continue into his criminal activities and the escape operation.
hassan benyoub 
Mohamed Amra, a notorious French drug trafficker, was extradited from Romania to France on Tuesday following his arrest on Saturday, ending a nine-month manhunt. His escape in May, which resulted in the deaths of two prison officers on a French highway, had made him France’s most wanted fugitive. According to Romanian airport authorities, Amra was transported back to France by plane under stringent security measures.
Arrest and High-Security Extradition
Amra was apprehended in Romania, where he had been living under a false identity since February 8, facilitated by accomplices who set him up in a Bucharest suburb apartment, Romanian police reported. Known as "the fly" ("la mouche"), the 30-year-old repeat offender was reportedly planning plastic surgery before fleeing to Colombia, though no concrete steps had been taken.
His extradition involved a heavily guarded operation. Romanian special police forces escorted him to Bucharest airport, where he was seen handcuffed yet smiling broadly, sporting the same red-tinted hair that stood out during his arrest. The GIGN, France’s elite gendarmerie unit, took custody of him for the flight to France. Initially agreeing to his extradition on Sunday, Amra later contested his detention, claiming judicial error. His lawyer, Maria Marcu, told AFP, "As he contests his guilt and is a victim of a judicial mistake, we have appealed for his release," though the appeal was unsuccessful.
In France, officials prepared for his arrival. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told franceinfo that Amra’s handover would occur "under the highest and most reinforced security conditions," with secrecy emphasized due to the ongoing investigation by the national jurisdiction against organized crime (Junalco). French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin’s entourage confirmed, "Gérald Darmanin has requested that Mohamed Amra be placed in an isolation ward in a penitentiary establishment with a very high level of security."
Deadly Escape and Ongoing Investigations
Amra’s escape on May 14, 2024, was a violent affair. Extracted from a Normandy prison to meet an investigating judge, his transport van was ambushed by a commando unit wielding a ram car and assault rifles. The attack killed two prison officers and injured three others, triggering a nationwide manhunt. A source close to the investigation told AFP that Amra likely remained in France until early February before fleeing to Romania.
As of Tuesday, the investigation into his escape has led to 22 individuals in custody in France, with additional arrests in Morocco (two French nationals) and Spain (one man). Beccuau suggested, "A number of commando members could be among those detained," adding that interviews would clarify existing leads. She also hinted at connections to the "Black Mafia Family," a drug trafficking organization, noting, "In his environment, there are indeed people who may belong to it, whose activities warrant further investigation." Two more arrests occurred in France overnight from Monday to Tuesday, per a source close to the case.
The scale of the manhunt underscored its significance. Christian Sainte, head of the French judicial police, noted that 100 to 150 investigators worked daily on the case, reflecting the grip of drug trafficking in France.
