International fugitives detained in Elda and Alicante

NATIONAL Police have arrested two people who were wanted internationally and the subjects of European Arrest Warrants

Officers arrested a 35- yearold man, of Polish nationality, in Elda who had an European Arrest Warrant issued by the Polish authorities for crimes of belonging to a criminal organisation and drug trafficking. In a separate police action in Alicante a second fugitive, this time of British nationality, was identified when he attended the immigration offices to undertake some paperwork.

An off- duty officer in an Elda shopping centre spotted the first of the detainees. By chance, the officer had seen the European Arrest Warrant for the man, received by his police station a week earlier. The officer recognised the fugitive and immediately called his colleagues who arrived in uniform and proceeded to identify the man before arresting him.

The detainee is facing court proceedings and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for allegedly belonging to a drug trafficking, criminal organisation in Poland.

Brit arrested in Alicante

In the second police action, a 65- year- old man of British nationality was arrested. He has been the subject of a European Arrest Warrant since August of this year.

It was issued by UK authorities for a crime of sexually exploiting a minor.

The detainee visited the Alicante immigration office in order to carry out some paperwork and on verifying his identity, officers from the provincial foreigners and borders brigade discovered that he had a European Arrest Warrant; and subsequently detained him.

Both detainees were made available to the High Court in Madrid, where proceedings to extradite them to their home countries continue.