The National Police has arrested a fugitive in the heart of Madrid for whom there was a European arrest and extradition order filed by the Italian authorities for alleged crimes of drug trafficking and money laundering.
The detainee is an extremely violent person who has sometimes used firearms. Likewise, the agents have arrested his sentimental partner, accused of documentary falsification, as reported by the National Police in a statement.
They arrested him this Monday at twelve noon, while he and his partner were walking their pets. When the agents identified themselves, the fugitive threatened to flee, forcing the police officers to reduce him.. Then there was a strong struggle in which two of the agents were injured with bruises and slight abrasions, since the detainee did not stop turning around and kicking..
The investigations began last June, when the specialized search team for fugitives in Italy, which is part of the European Network of Active Search Teams for Fugitives (ENFAST), informed the Spanish National Police about two “dangerous criminals” who had evaded arrest in a police operation and had escaped from Italian territory..
The Italian Police verified that the two fugitives had organized the sale of three kilograms of cocaine in a hotel in the Italian city of Cagliari and that, at the time of the transaction, they shot the buyers, causing them serious injuries.. Then they quietly left the hotel and seized both the drug and the money from the buyers..
Multiple languages and fake documentation
ENFAST Italia investigators tracked down the criminals and found indications that one of them might be hiding in Spain, so they worked together with the National Police to find the place where he was hiding.. The fugitive spoke several languages fluently and carried false documentation of different nationalities, which made it difficult to locate him.
🚔 We arrest in #Madrid a very violent fugitive wanted by #Italy for #drug trafficking
❌Organized the sale of 3kg of #cocaine in a hotel in #Cagliari (Italy)
👉 At the time of the transaction, they shot the buyers, causing serious injuries pic.twitter.com/X000jYVGwj
– National Police (@policia) July 25, 2023
After various efforts in the provinces of Alicante, Barcelona and Malaga, it was in mid-July that significant progress was made in the search for the fugitive, who was finally located in a central Madrid hotel with his sentimental partner.. Both used Spanish documentation.
At the time this fugitive escaped from Italy, the Italian Police dismantled an organization allegedly dedicated to drug trafficking and money laundering in an operation involving 25 detainees.. Its members were very violent and used firearms to steal drugs and settle scores with other gangs..
Once arrested, he was transferred to police stations and the agents have intervened: 3,800 euros in cash, three telephones, a Dominican passport and a Spanish driving license, both forged with the fugitive's photograph, and different affiliations, as well as a Spanish national identity document, also forged, with the photograph of his partner.