After a lengthy procedure, INTERPOL’s General Secretariat has included French citizen Alexandre Benalla on the international wanted list with a “Red Notice” in April 2025, deeming the search justified and sent notifications all member states accordingly, APA reports.
The basis for the decision was a legal request issued in 2024 in connection with a criminal case being investigated in the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
As is known, former head of the French President’s Security Service Alexandre Benalla and Anass Derraz, Vice President of the French company SAUR, which has a multibillion turnover (currently in Azerbaijan and under prosecution), are accused of receiving large bribes in exchange for lifting international sanctions against Russian billionaire of Azerbaijani origin, Farhad Ahmadov and other criminal offenses.
According to previous reports published in foreign and local media regarding this case, French officials allegedly demanded a bribe from Farhad Ahmadov in exchange for releasing his luxurious Luna yacht from international seizure and providing him with protection from sanctions.
Based on the information, part of the multimillion-dollar bribe was transferred to Anass Derraz’s account at AL HILAL BANK and Alexandre Benalla’s account at BANK OF AFRICA UNITED KINGDOM PLC SC PAR.
A. Derraz, who was in the hands of the investigation in an unknown manner, was held accountable in Azerbaijan and banned from leaving the country, while INTERPOL was contacted to put A. Benalla on the international wanted list.
INTERPOL’s issuance of a “Red Notice”—the most serious legal basis for international search—against former head of the French President’s Security Service A. Benalla indicates that the State Security Service holds undeniable and credible evidence. A “Red Notice” entails the detention of the person in the country where they are found and their extradition to the requesting country. It is known that A. Benalla is currently subject to extradition proceedings in a third country.
It is expected that an open trial will soon begin in Baku in connection with the criminal case against A. Derraz, who was detained in Baku, and that the disclosed international corruption evidence will lead to additional scandals.
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