In collaboration with UK Security Forces, Spanish National Police and Guardia Civil search for 10 British fugitives in Spain accused of serious offences

Earlier today, the Director of the Office of Coordination and Studies of the State Secretariat of Security of the Spanish Ministry of Home Affairs, Diego Pérez de los Cobos, and the UK Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, presented the new campaign under Operation Captura against the 10 most wanted criminals in the United Kingdom, who it is believed could have fled to Spain.

The 10 fugitives added to the list are wanted by the UK security forces for their links to various offences involving rape, sexual assault against children and drug trafficking.

Operation Captura is a Crimestoppers campaign receiving support from the Spanish National Police and the Spanish Guardia Civil to identify offenders who have fled the British justice system and are thought to be trying to hide in Spain. This is the ninth iteration of Operation Captura since it was launched in Spain in 2006. Of the 75 wanted fugitives, 65 have so far been found and captured.

Crimestoppers and the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the United Kingdom work hand-in-hand with the Spanish law enforcement agencies and with the British Embassy in Madrid to locate and arrest fugitives who have committed offences in the United Kingdom and who are subject to a European Arrest Warrant (EAW).

Thanks precisely to this collaboration, the drug trafficker Stephen Blundell was recently one of the latest to be arrested. Stephen Blundell (36) from Merseyside (north-west England) fled the United Kingdom before being sentenced over a million-pound plot related to heroin trafficking. He eventually handed himself in to the Spanish authorities in Tenerife.

The Director of the Office of Coordination and Studies of the State Secretariat of Security of the Spanish Ministry of Home Affairs, Diego Pérez de los Cobos, confirmed that Spain and the United Kingdom maintain close cooperation on police operations and that this directly contributes to the security of both countries.

Diego Pérez de los Cobos explained that "the campaign we are launching today is a clear and obvious demonstration of the fact that, thanks to this cooperation, we are achieving very good policing results that lead to benefits for the public". Furthermore, Diego Pérez de los Cobos recalled that Spain is the most-visited country by British tourists, "many of whom decide to stay permanently in our country, meaning that these campaigns have far-reaching repercussions in society".

The Director of the Office of Coordination and Studies of the State Secretariat of Security expressed gratitude for the work carried out by the Manhunt Squad of the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Fugitive Location Group of the Spanish National Police Force, which, in close collaboration with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and using the information provided through Crimestoppers, have achieved a high rate of effectiveness since 2006.

The UK Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, said that, "once again, I hope that the public can help us find these fugitives". Simon Manley stressed that the "continued success" of Operation Captura is testament to the "excellent cooperation relations" that exist between our two countries in the field of law enforcement agencies and praised the role played by the public in locating criminals. "Together, we will ensure these criminals are brought to justice and the unlawful gains from their criminal activity are seized", said the British Ambassador to Spain.

The Founder and Chairman of Crimestoppers, Lord Ashcroft, stressed that "Operation Captura has been highly successful since it was launched in 2006, and the majority of those individuals appearing on our most wanted list have already been arrested. However, we are yet to arrest some of them and we must ensure that these individuals are brought to justice. We believe we will be able to find them with support from the Spanish authorities, as well as the Spanish and British public".

In turn, the Head of International Operations at the National Crime Agency (NCA), Hank Cole, said that "Spain is not a safe haven for British fugitives. The National Crime Agency and its partners will pursue these men relentlessly and they will be brought to justice in the United Kingdom. A total of 65 fugitives from the list related to Operation Captura have already been captured, along with many others linked to other operations".

Furthermore, Hank Cole highlighted that the exceptional degree of collaboration and information exchange with the Spanish authorities has been crucial to the success of these arrests. "Even so, we need help from the public. Stay alert and if you see or hear anything about where these fugitives might be hiding, do not hesitate to get in touch with us".

Citizen collaboration is essential and any information provided to Crimestoppers could help find these criminals. Crimestoppers can be called from Spain for free on 900 555 111. These calls are diverted to the United Kingdom and answered by Crimestoppers telephone operators in a completely anonymous manner. If necessary an interpreter can be requested when doing so. Anonymous information can also be provided by calling the Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111 (from the United Kingdom) or visiting its website.