Isolation, searches... Mohamed Amra under very high surveillance at the Condé-sur-Sarthe prison

Mohamed Amra back in prison. The 30-year-old drug trafficker, arrested on February 22 in Bucharest, Romania, was handed over to France on Tuesday, February 25 and immediately placed in pre-trial detention in the prison of Condé-sur-Sarthe (Orne).

Transferred by helicopter, accompanied by the GIGN, he arrived in the middle of the night at this penitentiary, known as one of the most secure in the country. This prison has already hosted other French criminals such as Youssouf Fofana , linked to the murder of Ilan Halimi, Tony Meilhon or Redoine Faïd whose escape by helicopter from Réau prison in 2018 had marked the country.

It is also one of the penitentiary establishments expected to host Gérald Darmanin's project on July 31 to bring together the 100 profiles of the most dangerous drug traffickers in France.

The prison has 249 places, spread across three four-level wings, with 17 cells per level, all individual. The establishment was also built on an architectural model that allows prisoners placed in isolation to never be able to cross paths, even when going for a walk.

Furthermore, the surrounding walls are eight to 12 metres high, compared to six metres for a traditional prison, according to Ouest France .

Upon his arrival, Mohamed Amra was placed in solitary confinement alone in his cell and should not be released until his trial. He must be subject to regular, almost daily searches and will not have any activities in common with other prisoners. The aim for the authorities: to prevent him from being able to prosper his criminal activity from his cell.

"We know of some precedents with sensational escapes, but without a single drop of blood. We can see what a huge difference that represents. I can imagine that his treatment will be very forced isolation," commented his lawyer on Tuesday, speaking to BFMTV.

Indicted, the former most wanted man in France remained silent on Tuesday before the three judges of the national jurisdiction for the fight against organized crime (JUNALCO), before whom he was carrying out his first appearance questioning.

Mohamed Amra's indictment concerns several charges: murder by an organized gang, attempted murder by an organized gang, escape by an organized gang, theft by an organized gang, receiving stolen goods by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.