Diyar Gündüz escapes high-security German prison

Diyar Gündüz, a convicted drug trafficker linked to the El-Zein clan, has escaped from a high-security prison in Essen, Germany. Gündüz was serving a 17-year sentence for involvement in a 94-kilogram cocaine shipment and the assault and detention of an individual.

Reports indicate that Gündüz used bribes, including luxury gifts and a motorcycle provided via associates, to compromise prison staff. This corruption allegedly allowed him to obtain a fraudulent medical report, facilitating a transfer to a radiology center at Kennedyplatz in Essen.

During the transfer, an armed group intercepted the prisoner at the medical facility. The attackers reportedly handcuffed prison officers to stair railings using their own restraints and used a universal key to release Gündüz from his shackles. To distract police, the group left a wooden mock-up of a hand grenade at the scene before fleeing on electric scooters. The German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has launched an investigation, and an international arrest warrant has been issued.