Ten more of the most wanted British fugitives believed to be hiding in Spain’s ex-pat communities have been revealed in a new appeal by the UK crime-reporting line charity Crimestoppers, and the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Publication of the latest list coincides with the tenth anniversary of Operation Captura. That multi-agency campaign has seen 76 fugitives apprehended out of 86 publicised. The ten fugitives are wanted by law enforcement agencies in connection with crimes including murder, child sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering and serious assault. Today’s launch at the Hotel Meliá Costa Del Sol in Torremolinos saw a digital advan displaying the faces of the most wanted fugitives outside.
Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC, the Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers, said: “As we mark the tenth anniversary of Operation Captura, it is safe to say it has been an extremely effective way of tracking down some of the most wanted individuals who are deliberately running from justice. These people have managed to evade arrest and avoid justice. We know that with the help of Spanish authorities, along with the public in Spain and the UK, we can find these people.”
Steve Reynolds, Head of International Operations for the NCA, said: “The success of Captura demonstrates our relentless pursuit of fugitives. We never give up. Many of them use Spain as a base to continue illegal activities which still have an impact on the UK, but it is not a safe haven. Seventy-six fugitives on the Captura list have been caught to date, along with many more fugitives linked to other operations. The exceptional level of collaboration and intelligence sharing we have with the Spanish authorities has been vital to these arrests.
“The fugitives we are hunting are wanted for serious crimes and must be returned to the UK to face justice. We need the support of the public to help us catch them. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets.”
Crimestoppers and the NCA liaise with the British Embassy in Madrid and with British and Spanish law enforcement agencies. Simon Manley, British Ambassador to Spain, said: “Captura is one of the best examples of the fantastic collaboration between Spanish and British law enforcement. Our objective is for this collaboration to continue and strengthen in the coming years. I would like to congratulate all those that have worked over the last 10 years to bring fugitives to justice.”
For people in Spain wishing to pass on information anonymously there is a dedicated freephone Spanish telephone number – 900 555 111 – which is directed to the Crimestopers’ call centre in the UK. A translation service is available on request.
People in the UK can continue to contact Crimestoppers anonymously by calling the number 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. For details of the ten visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org/opcaptura.
Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has received over 1.7 million actionable calls, resulting in more than 138,000 arrests and charges. Nearly £135m of stolen goods has been recovered and nearly £333m of illegal drugs has been seized. In 2005, Crimestoppers launched the UK’s Most Wanted on its website which allows the public to view images of criminals and pass on information about their whereabouts. It’s seen over 3800 arrests to date.
