French authorities have arrested Mohamed Amra, an escaped convict known as 'The Fly', in Romania, following a deadly ambush that resulted in the deaths of two prison officers.
French Convict 'The Fly' Captured in Romania After Deadly Prison Van Ambush
French Convict 'The Fly' Captured in Romania After Deadly Prison Van Ambush
Mohamed Amra, dubbed 'The Fly', was apprehended months after a violent escape that left two prison officers dead in France.
French convict Mohamed Amra, infamously known as 'The Fly', has been apprehended in Romania, nine months after he escaped following a brutal attack on a police transport van in May 2024. The ambush, which occurred near Rouen, Normandy, claimed the lives of two prison officers and left three others injured, raising grave concerns about prison security and the use of military-grade weaponry in criminal operations.
French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated Amra's capture as a major accomplishment, expressing condolences to the families of the deceased officers. He extended gratitude to European counterparts and local investigators involved in the extensive search operation. The capturing of Amra concludes a prolonged manhunt involving over 300 investigators and a series of roadblocks in north-west France.
On the fateful day of the ambush, armed assailants targeted the van, ramming it and firing shots. They managed to flee the scene in a getaway vehicle that was later discovered abandoned nearby. Amra had been incarcerated for burglary and was awaiting further prosecution for a kidnapping case linked to a death.
Concerns regarding the level of surveillance for potentially dangerous inmates were raised, as Amra was classified as not being closely monitored despite his serious charges. His lawyer, Hugues Vigier, expressed shock over the violent incident, highlighting Amra's previous attempts to escape before the ambush occurred.
Macron had vowed that all efforts were being directed toward capturing those responsible for the attack, marking a tragic milestone as these were the first fatalities for French prison officers in active duty since 1992. The investigation into the ambush and Amra's criminal associations with drug gangs in Marseille continues as authorities seek to ensure that such a tragedy is not repeated.
