A fugitive French prisoner was arrested in Romania after a deadly escape and 9-month hunt

PARIS (AP) — A fugitive French prisoner who prompted an international hunt after staging a deadly escape nine months ago was arrested Saturday in Romania, the French government said.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau thanked ″all the forces who permitted the arrest of Mohamed Amra in Romania today,″ in a post on X. Retailleau’s office did not immediately provide details on the arrest.

Two guards were killed when armed assailants helped Amra escape from a prison convoy in Normandy last May, prompting a high-profile search.

Amra, 30, fled after being sentenced for burglary in the Normandy town of Evreux. He was also under investigation for an attempted organized homicide and a kidnapping that resulted in death, prosecutors said. Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau has said that Amra had connections with Marseille’s organized crime syndicates and was suspected of heading a drug trafficking network.

Amra’s first offenses occurred between the ages of 11 and 14, according to the prosecutor. Nicknamed “La Mouche” (The Fly), Amra has also been referred to by other aliases such as “Yanis,” “Momo,” and “Schtroumpf” (Smurf).

Amra’s escape and violent history made him a symbol of the challenges faced by French law enforcement in combating organized crime and ensuring the security of high-risk prisoners.