Six months after the launch of the 'Europe's Most Wanted Fugitives' website, a platform hosted by EUROPOL, 14 of the fugitives wanted by EU Member States have successfully been arrested and sent to prison. From a total of 14 wanted criminals, at least eight were arrested thanks to the general public and the leads provided via this website, which played a direct role in locating and arresting these fugitives.
Six months ago to the day, the European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams (ENFAST), supported by EUROPOL, created a dedicated new website where the public can help State law enforcement agencies trace Europe's most wanted fugitives. ENFAST is a network of State law enforcement officers from the 28 EU Member States and associated countries specialised in undertaking immediate action to locate and arrest fugitives.
The media attention surrounding this project proved to be vital and highly significant. Thanks to the increased media attention and to information provided by the general public, law enforcement agencies in Europe were able to track down eight of the fugitives appearing on the website. In fact, six of them were in a different European country than where they were initially thought to be. In total, 14 of Europe's most wanted fugitives have been arrested. From the original list published in January, only 28 remain.
The 'Europe's Most Wanted Fugitives' website (www.eumostwanted.eu) shares information on high-profile internationally-wanted criminals, convicted of - or suspected of having committed - serious crimes or terrorist acts in Europe. Some of them have been received long or even life sentences.
The latest information published on the list of Europe's most wanted criminals include: in Slovakia, searching for the leader of a violent criminal organisation; in Belgium, searching for a fugitive convicted to 25 years of imprisonment for multiple rapes; in Denmark, looking for two murderers; in Latvia, for a robber; and in Bulgaria, also for two murderers.
It is the first initiative on a pan-European scale to present a most wanted list on a common platform. Citizens in the EU and beyond can provide useful information via the website, anonymously if preferred. EUROPOL has supported the European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams (ENFAST) with this project by developing a secure platform for the 'Europe's Most Wanted Fugitives' website.
The pursuit of fugitives in Spain
In Spain, the investigation of and search for individuals with outstanding court cases or sentences in other countries, as well as their subsequent arrest for extradition, is undertaken by both the Spanish National Police Force (through the International Fugitive Location Group as part of the General Commissariat of the Judicial Police) and the Spanish Guardia Civil (through its Fugitive Pursuit Team).
Through this action, Spain has aligned itself with the European fugitive active pursuit strategy and created specialised teams engaged in the search for these types of criminals, with active participation in the ENFAST network.
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