Thai Police Arrest French Fugitive Linked to Notorious Drug Baron’s Jailbreak

BANGKOK, 28 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Thai authorities have apprehended a French fugitive on the holiday island of Phuket in connection with a violent prison escape that freed notorious drug kingpin Mohamed Amra, also known as “The Fly”.

Adonis Correa, 24, was arrested on Wednesday as part of an extensive international manhunt that has so far resulted in the capture of nearly two dozen suspects. Correa is believed to be a close associate of Amra, who had been France’s most wanted criminal following his dramatic escape in May 2024. After nine months on the run, Amra was finally caught in Romania last month and extradited to France.

The prison break, described as one of the most audacious in French history, unfolded when masked gunmen armed with military-grade automatic weapons ambushed a prison van at a motorway toll plaza in northern France. The assailants killed two prison officers and seriously wounded three others before freeing Amra and vanishing. The brazen attack sent shockwaves through France and made global headlines.

Arrest in Phuket

Thai police confirmed Correa’s arrest in a statement on Thursday, identifying him as a member of a transnational criminal network.

“Thai immigration police have arrested a French national linked to a criminal organisation responsible for a violent prison escape that resulted in the deaths of prison officers,” authorities stated.

Investigators revealed that Correa had entered Thailand on 8 February via Phuket International Airport, using a tourist visa. This was prior to the issuance of an international arrest warrant and an Interpol red notice against him. He was traced to the Kamala and Patong areas of Phuket, where police moved in to detain him.

His lawyer in France, Joseph Hazan, later told AFP that Correa had voluntarily surrendered.

“He presented himself to Thai authorities, with whom we have been in contact for several days,” Hazan said. “He has not yet made a statement but intends to explain himself before the French judiciary.”

Awaiting Deportation

Following his arrest, Thai authorities cancelled Correa’s visa, and he is currently being held in Bangkok while arrangements for his deportation to France are finalised. Although Thailand and France do not share an extradition treaty, officials anticipate that Correa will be transferred back to France by next week.

The French authorities continue their investigation into the escape, as efforts to dismantle Amra’s criminal network persist. The case has reignited debates in France over prison security and the growing influence of organised crime within the country’s penal system.