France prison van escape sees Interpol issue global 'Red Notice' for escaped criminal 'The Fly'

Interpol has issued a global 'Red Notice' for an escaped fugitive known as 'The Fly' after a brutal prison van attack in France killed two police officers.

It comes after the violent escape of Mohamed Amra, 30, and after masked and armed mem launched an assault on a prison van at a toll booth on a northwest French motorway. Amra, notorious for his extensive criminal past, managed to evade capture after the breakout. An international arrest warrant was promptly activated due to his vast criminal record.

Interpol's assistance was enlisted by the French authorities, highlighting in their "Red Notice" that Amra is wanted for his participation in organised crime and murder, along with several other severe charges.

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The deadly escape saw the demise of Fabrice Moello, a father-of-two aged 52, and Arnaud Garcia, 35, who is expectant of a child with his partner. The shocking incident took place on the A154 motorway located near Val-de-Reuil in Normandy and left three additional guards with significant injuries.

Known for his links to drug trafficking networks, Amra already holds 13 convictions under his belt. According to Mirror reports, after the escape, he, along with his co-conspirators, abandoned their vehicles, which were found burnt out later.

The individual, known as 'The Fly', was christened thus by an associate who said it's "because he's everywhere, like an annoying fly". As per Interpol, Amra, a native of Rouen in France, is between 174cm and 180cm tall, with "wavy hair and a beard" and dark brown eyes.

France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin informed RTL radio about the unprecedented manhunt for the fugitive that involves approximately 450 officers. He remains optimistic about arresting Amra "in the coming days", and mentioned, "We are progressing a lot."

Witnesses were astounded by the audacious daylight robbery, which transpired in just under five minutes. The escapees initially fled in two vehicles - an Audi A5 and a BMW 5 series. However, the Audi was quickly located having been abandoned and set on fire.

By Tuesday afternoon, the search had ramped up significantly, with 200 gendarmes working alongside the esteemed GIGN anti-terror unit in a nationwide hunt. A police representative issued a warning: "They are armed and very dangerous, and everything is being done to find them."

Amra, recently sentenced to 18-months imprisonment for a range of aggravated thefts, was being transported between detention facilities in Rouen and Evreux when the breakout occurred. His crimes span armed raids at supermarkets and other businesses in the outskirts of Evreux during summer 2019.

Further, he has been implicated in the fatal shooting of a man in Marseille on June 17, 2022.