Key takeaways:

• French convict Mohamed Amra, a notorious figure known as "La Mouche" (The Fly), was arrested in Romania after nine months on the run.
• His escape in May 2024 resulted in the deaths of two prison officers, prompting an extensive manhunt led by more than 300 investigators.
• Amra is linked to organized crime in Marseille and has been indicted for multiple serious offenses, including attempted murder and drug trafficking.

Mohamed Amra, a fugitive French prisoner infamous for a violent prison escape, was arrested on Saturday in Romania, as confirmed by French authorities. Amra, whose escape resulted in a deadly ambush in May 2024 that left two prison officers dead, was taken into custody near a shopping center in Bucharest. This arrest marks the end of a lengthy nine-month international manhunt for the escaped convict, who was once considered France's "public enemy number one".

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau hailed the capture as a significant achievement, thanking Romanian police for their swift and crucial cooperation. "After a manhunt lasting several months, Amra has been arrested, finally!" stated Prime Minister François Bayrou in a post on X. President Emmanuel Macron also celebrated the arrest, regarding it as a "formidable success". Amra’s violent felony history prompted Interpol to issue a red notice for his arrest.

The background of this case is rooted in a brazen attack on May 14, 2024, where armed assailants ambushed a prison van transporting Amra, using military-grade weapons, and resulted in the tragic deaths of two guards. The brutality of the attack was captured by CCTV cameras, sending shockwaves across the nation and highlighting the challenges facing French law enforcement when dealing with high-risk criminals.

Amra, who had recently been sentenced for burglary before his escape, was also under investigation for an attempted organized killing and a kidnapping resulting in death. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau revealed that his connections to organized crime syndicates in Marseille have positioned him as a significant figure in drug trafficking networks. His activities reportedly continued even from behind bars, leading to concerns about the security conditions in French prisons.

On Sunday, following Amra's court appearance in Romania, authorities announced arrests of ten suspected accomplices believed to have assisted in the escape and helped him evade capture. These individuals were detained primarily in cities like Rouen and Evreux, where police also seized weapons during their investigations.

Amra's capture involved sophisticated identification methods, including facial recognition technology, confirming his identity despite having altered his appearance by dying his hair. He is expected to face extradition proceedings, as Romanian judicial authorities prepare to transfer him back to France within 30 days. The French Justice Minister has indicated plans for improved security measures in prisons, aiming to ensure that events like Amra's escape are not repeated.

For more details, see the reports from Le Monde, BBC, and South China Morning Post.