The moment the wanted man was taken into custody. CNP

Watch as wanted man arrested in Estepona, accused of 80-million-euro alcohol duty fraud

The fugitive was located trying to keep a low profile living among the foreign community on the Costa del Sol

IRENE QUIRANTE

MALAGA.

Wednesday, 9 November 2022, 13:34

Officers from Spain’s National Police force have arrested a 60-year-old fugitive in Estepona who was wanted by French authorities for allegedly defrauding more than 80 million euros in alcohol duty. He had a European Arrest and Surrender Order (OEDE) in force against his name for fraud, money laundering, document fraud and tax evasion, among other crimes.

According to the warrant, he was charged in 2019 for participating in an alcohol excise tax fraud between 2014 and 2018.

The police, who were following the trail of the fugitive, ended up locating him on the Camino de la Resinera in Estepona on Monday, 7 November. According to the investigators, he kept a low profile among the significant foreign community on the Costa del Sol and his change of address was common. This was just one of the measures he took to try not to be discovered in his new life on the Costa, where authorities described him as being “in an irregular administrative situation”.

However, the efforts of the officers of the Local Immigration and Borders squad of the Estepona police station, with the collaboration of the Drugs and Organised Crime Unit (UDYCO), as well as the authorities of France and the United Kingdom finally allowed the fugitive to be found.

The National Police arrested the wanted man under a European Arrest and Surrender Order and he is now awaiting a court appearance for deportation.