Interpol red notices: Where do France’s most wanted hide?

Morocco and Algeria have emerged as the primary hideouts for fugitives fleeing French justice, according to the Paris-based outlet RTL on May 5. A ranking compiled by the OCLCO, France’s Central Office for the Fight against Organised Crime, highlights a troubling shift in how modern criminal networks operate. According to the National Fugitive Search Brigade (BNRF), “recent developments in organised crime allow high-profile criminals—now convicted or wanted by the French judicial authorities—to sometimes calmly run their illegal activities from outside France.” The agency further noted that “the arrest of priority targets taking refuge in third countries is a key challenge in freeing France from the trap of drug trafficking.”

The report reviewed by RTL outlines the investigative process used to track these individuals. The BNRF cross-referenced 3,600 active Interpol “Red Notices” with data on where wanted criminals typically seek sanctuary.

According to the findings, Morocco (218 fugitives), Algeria (124), Israel (87), Tunisia (59), and the United Arab Emirates (48) are the top five destinations for those evading French prosecution. The report highlights clear patterns in where different types of criminals settle. For instance, the United Arab Emirates and Israel are the preferred hubs for financial and white-collar offenders, making up 38% of the fugitives in the UAE and a remarkable 91% of those in Israel.

In Morocco, the criminal profile is dominated by the narcotics trade, with 49% of fugitives there wanted for drug offences. Another 27% are linked to broader organised crime, while financial crimes account for just 11%. The situation in Algeria is more varied; nearly half of the suspects are wanted for common law crimes, with organised crime and drug trafficking making up 25% and 21% of the cases, respectively.

Other destinations include Turkey with 41 notices, the United Kingdom with 34, Senegal with 21, and the United States with 20. Serbia and Thailand are tied at the bottom of the top ten with 17 notices each.

The investigators acknowledge that bringing these people back is difficult because many nations, including France, generally refuse to extradite their own citizens. To address this, the National Directorate of the Judicial Police (DNPJ) has established a list of high-priority targets. By focusing on these specific individuals, authorities hope to find new legal or diplomatic openings to dismantle the growing sense of impunity among criminals living abroad.

Maghrebi.org, RTL news.