Suspects include drug smugglers, a convicted paedophile, and individuals wanted for robberies and attempted murder
A gallery of 13 wanted men who are thought to be living as fugitives in Spain is being published on Thursday as the authorities mount an operation to bring them to justice.
The suspects who are being hunted include drug smugglers, a convicted paedophile, and individuals wanted for robberies, attempted murder and deception offences.
The operation is one in a series targeted at fugitives in Spain which has highlighted the importance of the European arrest warrant for British law enforcers.
Crimestoppers and the National Crime Agency (NCA) are working with the Foreign Office in Madrid and with Spanish and British police to try and locate the 13 suspects, who have had European arrest warrants issued against them.
Those being hunted include the alleged leader of a £90m cocaine smuggling ring.
Ian Stanton, 42, from Liverpool, is accused of being the mastermind behind a gang who smuggled more than 400kg of cocaine to the UK hidden in a shipment of Argentinian beef.
He has links to Merseyside – specifically Crosby, Kirkby and Maghull – but also with London, the Netherlands and Spain. The drugs were found at Tilbury docks in Essex in May, and the shipment was due to be delivered to a cold storage company in Wigan.
Others on the list of 13 wanted fugitives include Stephen Blundell, who is being hunted by Devon and Cornwall police as the organiser of a heroin supply chain from Liverpool to Devon.
Daniel Dugic, a Serbian, is being sought for a plot to smuggle 255 kg of cocaine into the UK.
Paedophile Michael McCartney is believed to be hiding out in Spain after being convicted of indecent assaults on young men over a number of years. McCartney was found guilty in March but failed to turn up to court for sentencing in April.
Robert Mortby, is wanted for attempted murder, and firearms offences by the Metropolitan police.
Brian Thexton, from Durham, is wanted for a series of violent robberies in which he tied up homeowners with cable and forced them to reveal their alarm codes and safety deposit box combinations.
Another fugitive is Keith Turner who was convicted of killing his mother and sister in 1975 and released on licence ten years ago.
He is suspected of deception and has been called back to prison to serve the remainder of his manslaughter sentence.
Hank Cole, head of international operations for the NCA, said: "The NCA and its partners have the capability to pursue fugitives relentlessly. Spain is not a safe haven. Fifty-three fugitives have been caught since Captura was launched, and many more linked to other operations.
"The exceptional level of collaboration and intelligence sharing with the Spanish authorities has been vital to many of these arrests. The most important thing though is the power of this campaign to harness the eyes and ears of the public, both here and in Spain."
Operation Captura began in 2006. Fifty-three of the 63 criminals who were targeted since its launch have been recaptured. Lord Ashcroft chair of Crimestoppers said: "The fact we are able to once again launch Operation Captura is an indication of how successful the last seven years have been since its inception.
"However despite our success so far, there are still a number of dangerous criminals who see Spain as a safe haven to hide from their past, but with the support of the Spanish and UK public, we can hunt them out and bring them to justice."
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário