French authorities have apprehended the second escaped inmate involved in a dramatic prison break from an overcrowded Dijon facility, marking a significant development in a case that has exposed systemic deficiencies within the nation’s correctional system. The 19-year-old fugitive, wanted in connection with a drug-related attempted murder investigation, was located in a dilapidated apartment complex in Marseille—a known narcotics trafficking hub—following an Interpol red notice issuance.
The escape occurred in late November when two detainees orchestrated an elaborate breakout using blades to sever cell bars before descending with bedsheets from the Dijon prison, a severely overcrowded facility operating at 173% capacity with 311 inmates occupying space designed for 180. The institution, constructed in 1853, has been documented by the Justice Ministry as structurally deficient and fundamentally inadequate for modern penal requirements.
This incident has ignited fierce criticism from prison unions accusing the government of neglecting conventional facilities while prioritizing high-security establishments for drug-related offenders. The escape methodology—involving suspected drone deliveries of cutting tools—highlighted persistent security vulnerabilities, with prosecutors confirming previous sentencing for similar drone-assisted contraband operations at the same institution.
The first fugitive, a 32-year-old facing domestic violence charges, was captured merely a day after the escape while casually drinking coffee at a village bar. Investigators revealed this individual had left a cell message complaining of excessive detention duration. Meanwhile, authorities arrested a 19-year-old accomplice near Besançon in late November on charges of organized escape complicity.
This event unfolds against France’s worsening prison overcrowding crisis, with national statistics from October showing 135 inmates per 100 available spaces—among Europe’s most severe capacity shortages. Just weeks before the breakout, Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin had announced a €6.3 million security upgrade for Dijon targeting mobile phone proliferation, now overshadowed by more fundamental structural failures.