Mohamed Amra, a French runaway with ties to a Marseille drug gang, has been detained in Romania following an elaborate escape from a police van which led to a deadly ambush in May 2024. The chaos unfolded when gunmen armed with military-grade weapons attacked the van, resulting in the tragic deaths of two prison officers and injuries to three others. President Emmanuel Macron praised the arrest, calling it a "formidable success," and expressed condolences to the victims' families.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau commended Romania for its critical assistance in the operation. Amra had been serving time for burglary and awaited trial for involvement in a kidnapping that resulted in a homicide. Not considered particularly dangerous, he still required a significant escort during transport.
The brutal ambush was the first incident of its kind leading to the death of French prison officers in over three decades, prompting an extensive investigation and roadblocks set up across north-west France. After months of tireless efforts from law enforcement and more than 300 investigators, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou celebrated Amra's capture, signaling the end of an unprecedented manhunt.
