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Morocco and Algeria top the list of countries where fugitives wanted by French authorities are believed to be hiding, according to a confidential note from France’s Central Office for the Fight against Organized Crime (OCLCO), reviewed by RTL.
The document, dated May 4, estimates that 218 fugitives may have taken refuge in Morocco, compared to 124 in Algeria. Israel (87), Tunisia (59), and the United Arab Emirates (48) complete the ranking of the main destinations identified by the National Fugitive Search Brigade (BNRF).
French investigators analyzed around 3,600 red notices circulated through Interpol’s platform. According to the note, the evolution of organized crime now allows certain criminals «to calmly pursue their illegal activities outside France», making their arrest «a crucial issue» in the fight against drug trafficking.
The profile of fugitives varies from one country to another. In Morocco, nearly half of the wanted individuals are linked to drug-related offenses (49%), while 27% are connected to other forms of organized crime. In Algeria, fugitives are mainly wanted for common law offenses (47%), followed by organized crime (25%) and drug-related crimes (21%).
By contrast, the United Arab Emirates and Israel are said to attract mostly individuals wanted for economic and financial crimes, accounting for 38% and 91% of recorded cases respectively.
Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, Senegal, Serbia, and Thailand also appear among the countries identified by French authorities.
The note further points out that only a limited number of countries agree to extradite their own nationals, complicating the work of investigators. In response, France’s National Directorate of Judicial Police has reportedly drawn up a list of priority targets to focus efforts on fugitives considered the most strategic.
