British fugitive Simon Dutton arrested in Spain hours after ‘Most Wanted’ launch

SPANISH police have arrested one of Britain’s most wanted fugitives - hours after the launch of a new campaign aiming to bring to justice 12 men believed to be hiding on the Costas.

Simon Dutton, 49, was held in La Nucia just north of Benidorm.

The arrest is understood to have happened in the early hours of this morning, although cops only went public with it late tonight after the National Crime Agency unveiled the latest Operation Captura wanted list in Alicante.

Convicted drug smuggler Dutton, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, arrested in a bar in Greece in December 2015, was wanted for a re-call to prison.

The wanted man, who has the name ‘Rachel’ tattooed on his left arm, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in September 2016 for organising large-scale importations of cocaine and money laundering.

The Civil Guard, which made today's Costa Blanca arrest, released footage showing an army of heavily-armed officers surrounding a whitewashed villa before forcing entry as they shouted in English: ‘Police, police.’ They went into the property with sniffer dogs and were pictured counting out large wads of cash.

A man believed to be Dutton was filmed being escorted to a patrol car in daylight hours.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard, which didn’t officially name Dutton although well-placed sources confirmed he was the man held, said tonight: “The Civil Guard in Alicante has arrested one of the fugitives included in the UK-led international search operation against offenders linked to organised crime, coinciding with the presentation of the latest ‘Most Wanted’ campaign.

“The arrest has been carried out within the framework of an operation conducted in Benidorm and La Nucia against a network linked to drug trafficking and forgery, in which three other people have been arrested.

“The investigation began in November 2025 following a tip-off from the manager of a Benidorm courier firm where a suitcase containing 16 kilos of cannabis resin had been located which was due to be sent to the UK.

“Initial inquiries led to the identification of a woman who organised the delivery using false documentation.

“Investigators discovered she went to the establishment with another person and had logistical support from another two men who transported the suitcase.

“As the investigation advanced officers managed to identify those involved and confirm one was a person on the UK Most Wanted list for crimes relating to drug trafficking who an International Arrest Warrant had been issued for at the end of last year.”

Spanish police confirmed last night Dutton would now face extradition to the UK, although he is likely to end up being charged for crimes allegedly committed locally as well.

Earlier today a new appeal was launched to locate and bring to justice a dozen of the UK’s most wanted men.

Publication of the latest list of fugitives marked the 20th anniversary of Operation Captura – a multi-agency campaign which has seen 98 fugitives apprehended out of 111 publicised.

All men featured in this year’s campaign are believed to have links to Spain including areas such as Tenerife, Marbella, Alicante, and Malaga.

Dutton featured on it as well as the likes of Derek McGraw Ferguson, a 62-year-old Scot wanted in connection with the murder of Thomas Cameron in Glasgow in 2007, and heavily tattooed Spencer Dillon Lamb, 33, who is wanted for supplying and cultivating drugs.