On Tuesday May 14, a police van carrying Mohamed Amra was attacked by several men at the toll booth in Incarville (Eure). Two prison officers were shot dead and three others injured in the ambush. The prisoner was able to escape. Almost ten days later, the search for the fugitive is still being intensified. However, the prisoner, who had been categorised as a ‘ mid-range’ offender, turned out to be a ‘ high profile drug dealer’.
According to information published by BFMTV on Wednesday May 22, the man nicknamed ‘La Mouche’ (The Fly) attempted to obtain machine guns in November 2022, which he bought for 6000 euros each. A purchase that could be made from his cell thanks to the numerous telephones that the prisoner was able to obtain. This enabled Mohamed Amra to continue his drug trade and consolidate his authority. According to a police officer, the prisoner had somewhat too ‘favourable’ prison conditions and was entitled to a water pipe (shisha), among other things, to ‘cheer up his summer evenings’.
In particular, these mobile phones enabled him to contact his partners outside prison using encrypted messengers. According to previously unpublished wiretap transcripts shared by Le Parisien, Mohamed Amra gave orders on the organisation and management of his drug trafficking. ‘La Mouche’ also organised so-called ‘carottages’ from his cell: a technique in which the goods are stolen from rival drug traffickers.
‘They should put their hands up, search the whole hut, search everything, search everything, search everything, search everything,’ reads one of the wiretap transcripts. Mohamed Amra is also suspected of ordering the kidnapping of a man in June 2022, also from prison. He had demanded a ransom of 300,000 euros from his girlfriend.
The fact that ‘La Mouche’ was able to strengthen his authority even in prison was thanks to the insults and threats he repeatedly uttered to put his ‘partners’ in their place. ‘You had the stuff [drugs] in your hand and you ran away! You fucking son of a bitch! […] I’m gonna fuck your mum!’ one of the recordings reads. The same technique for his creditors: ‘By the Koran of Mecca, wallah, you will respect me. […] Do you think I’m Coluche? You will pay!’ can also be overheard.