ISTANBUL 

Drug traffickers may be behind a wave of attacks targeting prisons across France, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on Thursday.

"I'm inclined to call them narco-scum, even if we don't have confirmation," Retailleau told RTL Radio.

He said drug dealers are currently “the most credible leads,” though authorities are also considering the possibility of far-left or foreign interference.

“We will find them. And once we pull one thread, we’ll unravel the whole thing. The whole network,” he added.

The minister noted that, while an arrest had occurred on Wednesday, it was "too early" to determine whether it was related or not.

Since Sunday, prisons in Toulon, Nanterre, Valence, Luynes, and Agen have been targeted in a series of attacks, including arson attempts, vehicles being set on fire, a gunman firing automatic weapons, and vandalism.

Following another round of attacks Wednesday, France’s special anti-terrorism prosecutors took over the investigation.