The rogues gallery of the most wanted fugitives hiding in Spain has been published and it makes for unpleasant reading indeed. Crimes including murder, drugs operations and firearms offences.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) Most Wanted campaign is run in conjunction with independent charity Crimestoppers, Spanish law enforcement and UK police forces. The previous campaign, Operation Captura led to the arrest of 86 offenders. Spain is a very popular destination for British fugitives and there has been a long history of partnerships between the two countries.
Today, Steve Rodhouse the NCA’s Director General of Operations was joined by the Security Minister Rafael Pérez Ruiz of Spain’s Interior Ministry, British Ambassador to Spain Hugh Elliott and Mark Hallas, CEO of CrimeStoppers, at the campaign launch in Madrid.
Steve said: “Spain is not a safe haven.
“The NCA’s International Crime Bureau and International Liaison Officers work on behalf of UK policing to exchange information and intelligence with partners abroad leading to the tracing and arrests of criminals globally.
“Fugitives usually continue offending while on the run and these men will be known in criminal circles wherever they are.
“Many of these fugitives will be trying to blend in to the large British communities who have made their homes in Spain, and if you are resident, you may know one of them from your town or village.
“Loyalties change over time and we urge anyone with information about these men to help us find them.”
All the men featured on the campaign are believed to have links to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands.
The list includes Nana Oppong, 41, wanted by Essex Police for the drive by murder of 50 year old Robert Powell, who was shot eight times with a 9mm pistol on 13 June 2020. It is alleged that the pair were members of rival criminal networks,.
Callum Haplin, 27, is also listed. Greater Manchester Police want to speak to him regarding the murder of drug dealer Luke Graham, 31, and the attempted murder of Anton Verigotta. Graham was gunned down in broad daylight in Ashton-under-Lyne in June 2018.
Jack Mayle, 30, features under suspicion of supplying drugs including class A substance, MDMA. He fled Croydon after being charged. He has multiple tattoos and is known to carry weapons.
He likes to work out and is a vegan.
Two men from Cardiff are wanted by South Wales Police for Class A drug offences. Asim Naveed, 29, and Calvin Parris, 32, who has gold upper teeth.
Scotsman, James "Jamie" Stevenson, 56, is wanted in connection with a cocaine shipment intercepted in the Port of Dover in September 2020 and a haul of "street valium" uncovered in a raid on a tablet factory in Kent in the same year.
Benjamin Macann, 32, is wanted by Norfolk Police for alleged involvement in cocaine supply in 2020.
John James Jones, 29, is wanted by Lancashire Police for wounding with intent after stabbing two people multiple times in 2018. He fled the country after the incident and was known to have spent the night after the attack in a hotel in Madrid.
Callum Michael Allan, 23, is wanted by Northumbria Police for twelve offecnes. On June 11 2019 he fled a Police raid on a house suspected of being used for drug deals. He assaulted the two officers who apprehended him. He was in possession of 113.29 grams of heroin. When given bail he fled.
Dean Garforth, 29, from Dingle, Liverpool, is wanted in connection with supplying significant quantities of cocaine and cannabis along with trading firearms and ammunition.
Another individual from Merseyside, Joshua Dillon Hendry, 30, has already been convicted to ten years in absence for drug trafficking offences.
Merseyside Police also want Mark Francis Roberts, 28, for grevious bodily harm in an attempted robbery of a £60,000 watch. The man, Richard Mille was attacked when he parked his car at his home and suffered life threatening injuries.
Anyone with information about one of the Most Wanted is urged to call the freephone Spanish number 900 926 111, which will be answered by CrimeStoppers in the UK (using translation if required). Callers in the UK should call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Alternatively, members of the public can fill out an anonymous online form at the UK charity’s website crimestoppers-uk.org/fugitives.
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