Interpol issues global alert for 3 Quebec jail escapees - Action News
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Interpol issues global alert for 3 Quebec jail escapees

Interpol has issued an Orange Notice, or an international alert, to all of its 190 member countries to help track down the three fugitives who escaped from a jail near Quebec City over the weekend via helicopter.

Ottawa asks Interpol to help locate and arrest fugitives Yves Denis, Denis Lefebvre and Serge Pomerleau

At the request of Canada, Interpol issued an international alert for the three men who escaped the Quebec detention centre Saturday. (Interpol)

Interpol has issued an Orange Notice, or an international alert,to all of its 190 member countries to help track down the three fugitives who escaped from a jail near Quebec City over the weekendvia helicopter.

The agency saysthe escapees Yves Denis, 35, Denis Lefebvre, 53, and Serge Pomerleau, 49 should be considered dangerous, and members of the public are advised to contact police immediately and not to approach the men if they're spotted.

The three men werein the OrsainvilleDetentionCentre while awaiting trial on charges related to drug trafficking, murder and gangsterism.

Quebec premier demands answers

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard has ordered a probe into penal and government agencies to find out how inmates were able to break out of jail using a helicopter in two separate incidents in the past 15 months.

The premier announced the internal review on his way into caucus on Wednesday.

Its not acceptable.Im not happy at all with this.Philippe Couillard, Quebec premier

"Two escapes by helicopter in Quebec is not acceptable. Two is too many," he said.

"Its not acceptable.Im not happy at all with this. Were going to deal with this, first bring the people back into jail, and then make sure this doesnt happen again."

Couillardsaid he wantsanswers from Quebec provincial police, the Public Security Ministry, the Justice Ministry andjail authorities.

He said he wants to know why the government received"contradictory" information from various levels of authority following the most recent jailbreak.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard was joined by Public Security Minister Lise Thriault in announcing an internal investigation into the recent jailbreaks. (CBC)

"The government is not satisfied with the flow of information, the level of informationand the coherence of the information that it has received," he said.

Earlier this week, apolice source confirmed to Radio-Canada thatSretduQubecinvestigators had details about thepossible escape as far back as March,but nobody took the plan seriously.

Minister of Public SecurityLise Thriaultis expected to announce more details by Friday, including the inquiry's mandate, a timetable and the person who will oversee the investigation.

Quebec's history of helicopter jailbreaks

The three men soared to their freedom afterclimbing into a helicopter that hadlandedin the jail yard, markingthe second time in just over a year thatQuebecinmates have escaped from jail via helicopter.

In March 2013, two inmates made a similar escape from a St-Jrme detention centre in March 2013, but theywere caught by police within a few hours.