Overview
- Spanish National Police, working with France, arrested Walid Bara in Madrid on Tuesday, hours after a French court sentenced him in absentia to 25 years for a 2019 double homicide in Marseille.
- He was living alone in the capital and took heavy security steps to avoid detection, including carrying false papers tied to one of several identities.
- French judges had issued four European Arrest Warrants for Bara through the ENFAST network for homicide, drug trafficking, and membership in a criminal organization.
- He had been on the run since May 2024 after a flawed release from custody due to procedural errors, and extradition steps in Spain now follow his capture.
- Police describe the DZ Mafia as a Marseille-born, franchise-style drug network that coordinates via messaging apps and has become a top security concern in France.