POLICE SWOOP TO MAKE ‘GANG’ ARREST IN SPAIN
FUGITIVE WANTED OVER ALLEGED MURDER PLOT
A FUGITIVE wanted on suspicion of plotting to murder two men as part of a Salford gangland dispute has been arrested in Spain.
Jamie Rothwell, 33, was held at an apartment block in Barcelona by Spanish police working with the National Crime
Agency and Greater Manchester Police’s Operation Leopard.
Det Chief Insp Carl Jones, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “This arrest is part of Greater Manchester Police’s ongoing investigation into a dispute between two rival organised crime groups in Salford in 2015.” Mr Rothwell was wanted by GMP for allegedly conspiring to murder two men – and for two counts of allegedly conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm. A European arrest warrant was issued last October. NCA investigators and the agency’s international liaison officers in Spain traced Mr Rothwell. In a statement, the NCA said: “Mr Rothwell has appeared in a Spanish court and was remanded. He will reappear at court to face extradition proceedings at a date to be confirmed.” Matt Horne, NCA deputy director of investigations, said: “The arrest of a fugitive over exceptionally serious allegations is a great result.
“It’s an example of how the agency and our international partners work to protect the public, and even during the coronavirus when there’ve been greater hurdles to overcome, the NCA has remained relentless in leading the UK’s fight against serious crime.”
Det Chief Insp Jones added: “Operation Leopard is a collaborative operation which utilises specialists from GMP’s Major Incident Team and Serious and Organised Crime Group.
“This arrest wouldn’t have been possible without an excellent working relationship between GMP, the Crown Prosecution Service, National Crime Agency and the Spanish authorities.”
This arrest is part of GMP’s ongoing investigation into a dispute between two rival crime groups in Salford in 2015
Det Chief Insp Carl Jones