Interpol issues 'red notice' for Macron’s former security chief
After an extensive review process, Interpol's General Secretariat has unanimously approved the issuance of a Red Notice for French citizen Alexandre Benalla, officially placing him on the international wanted list as of April 2025.
The notice, which alerts all Interpol member states, stems from a criminal investigation launched by Azerbaijan’s State Security Service (SSS) in 2024, News.Az reports, citing local media.
Former head of the French Presidential Security Service Alexandre Benalla and the vice-president of the French billion-dollar company SAUR, Anass Derraz (who is currently in Azerbaijan and has been held accountable), are accused of accepting huge bribes and committing other criminal acts in exchange for lifting international sanctions in 2018 from the assets of Russian billionaire of Azerbaijani origin, Farhad Ahmadov.
Previously, international and local media had published articles about this case, reporting that French officials demanded a bribe from Farhad Ahmadov, promising in return to free his yacht, Luna, from international seizure and to protect him from sanctions.
According to available information, Ahmadov transferred several million dollars to Derraz’s account at AL HILAL BANK and to Benalla’s account at BANK OF AFRICA UNITED KINGDOM PLC SC PAR.
Derraz, who was somehow apprehended by the authorities, is currently under investigation in Azerbaijan and has been banned from leaving the country. A request was submitted to Interpol to issue an international search for Benalla.
The fact that Interpol has declared Benalla wanted on the highest legal grounds — a Red Notice — indicates that the Azerbaijani State Security Service possesses indisputable and credible evidence. A Red Notice implies the arrest of the individual in the country where they are located and their extradition to the country requesting the search. It is known that Benalla is currently undergoing extradition proceedings in a third country.
An open court trial concerning Derraz, who is under investigation in Baku, is expected to begin in the near future.
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