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

Thai authorities have arrested a French fugitive in Phuket in connection with a deadly prison breakout that freed notorious drug kingpin Mohamed Amra, also known as “The Fly.”

Arrest in Phuket

Adonis Correa, 24, was detained on Wednesday in the popular tourist island of Phuket as part of a sweeping international manhunt. Thai immigration police confirmed that he was linked to a transnational criminal organization involved in the violent prison escape that resulted in the deaths of two French prison officers.

High-Profile Prison Break

Amra’s dramatic escape in May 2024 shocked France and made global headlines. Masked gunmen, armed with military-grade automatic weapons, ambushed a prison van at a motorway toll plaza, killing two guards and injuring three others. Amra, suspected of continuing his drug operations and ordering murders from behind bars, fled and was later captured in Romania.

Correa’s Movements and Capture

Investigators consider Correa a “close friend” of Amra. He arrived in Thailand on February 8 via Phuket International Airport on a tourist visa—before an arrest warrant and Interpol red notice were issued against him.

Thai police tracked Correa to the Kamala and Patong areas of Phuket before arresting him. His lawyer, Joseph Hazan, claimed Correa voluntarily surrendered to Thai authorities after several days of communication.

Deportation to France

Following his arrest, Correa’s visa was revoked, and he is now being held in Bangkok while Thai officials arrange his deportation. Although Thailand and France do not have an extradition treaty, sources indicate he is expected to be sent back next week.